Mooney M20 accident near Fargo, North Dakota, May 26, 1986
On May 26, 1986 at about 1:05 am local time, a Mooney M20, registered N6519B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fargo, North Dakota (Hector Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1986 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Fargo, North Dakota · Hector Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N6519B · no longer on the register · serial 1186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTS THAT HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR AFTER DEPARTURE BUT IT DID RETRACT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. HE SAID THE GEAR SYSTEM SEEMED TO BE HANGING UP. UPON REACHING DESTINATION THE GEAR AGAIN SEEMED TO HANG UP WHEN EXTENSION WAS ATTEMPTED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR THE GEAR HANDLE BROKE OFF AND ALL FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND THE GEAR WERE FUTILE.
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: 199 hours in all; 174 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 151 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 1986; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 4,267 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from FAR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.