Mooney M20K accident near Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, July 3, 1992
On July 3, 1992 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N231FW, was destroyed in an accident near Oconto Falls, Wisconsin. 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS DURING A LOW PASS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1992 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oconto Falls, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N231FW · registry record · serial 25-0228
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF THE 69-YEAR-OLD PILOT WERE VISITING AT HIS COTTAGE OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY. THE PILOT'S STATED INTENTION WAS TO FLY HIS AIRPLANE TO PICK UP HIS GIRLFRIEND. THE FRIENDS REPORTED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY 'LOW OVER THE BACK YARD IT STARTED GOING UP...AGAIN AFTER HE GOT OUT OF SIGHT...WE ALL HEARD LOUD BANGING, CRACKLING NOISES...' THE FRIENDS/RELATIVES REPORTED THE PILOT HAD MADE LOW PASSES OVER THE COTTAGE ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, BUT HE SEEMED LOWER THAN USUAL ON THIS PASS. THEY STATED: 'WE THOUGHT HE WAS PLAYING A JOKE ON US POSSIBLY WITH FIRE CRACKERS...' DAMAGE TO TREES AND WRECKAGE DEBRIS REVEALED THE AIRPLANES RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE ABOUT 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH THE TREES, COMING TO REST INVERTED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,109 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1992; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCQ Oconto WI at 5:10 pm
- Destination: SUE Sturgeon Bay WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from GRB, 30 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.