Mooney M-20C accident near Prior Lake, Minnesota, March 26, 1991
On March 26, 1991 at about 7:11 pm local time, a Mooney M-20C, registered N9692M, was destroyed in an accident near Prior Lake, Minnesota (Unk airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE EXECUTING A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1991 · about 7:11 pm local time
- Place
- Prior Lake, Minnesota · Unk · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20C · all M-20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9692M · no longer on the register · serial 670028
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN A FARMER'S FIELD BY A NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNER. IT HAD IMPACTED AND EMBEDDED THE NOSE IN THE SOFT, RISING TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES NOSE DOWN WITH THE WINGS LEVEL. THERE WAS NO GROUND TRAVEL AFTER INITIAL IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT OR THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER AT IMPACT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,328 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1990; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y12 Lakeville MN at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from MSP, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.