Mooney M20K accident near Fayette, Missouri, January 15, 1991
On January 15, 1991 at about 11:00 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N5809A, was destroyed in an accident near Fayette, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1991 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Fayette, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5809A · no longer on the register · serial 25-0873
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING A BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE LOCAL SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REPORTED THERE WAS FOG AND PRECIPITATION IN THE VICINITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND WITH AN EN ROUTE FUEL STOP IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. THE INTENDED DESTINATION WAS OLATHE, KANSAS. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING VFR INFLIGHT ADVISORIES FROM AN ARTCC. AT ONE POINT THE PILOT ADVISED THE CENTER THAT HE WAS GOING TO RETRACE STEPS TO GET BELOW THE CLOUDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST OBSERVED ON RADAR AT 2600 FEET MSL APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS FOR THE FLIGHT. RECORDS SHOW THAT THE PILOT RECEIVED 3.5 HOURS OF DUAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN THE 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THIS INCLUDED 1.5 HOURS OF BASIC INSTRUMENT TRAINING. THE PILOT BOUGHT THE AIRPLANE ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 7:39 am
- Destination: OJC Olathe KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.