Mooney M20 accident near Lake Ft Gibson, Oklahoma, June 29, 2008
On June 29, 2008 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N1287X, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Lake Ft Gibson, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control while maneuvering the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2008 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Ft Gibson, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N1287X · no longer on the register · serial 160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, with one passenger on-board the airplane, was to practice maneuvers with the airplane. The pilot performed "lazy 8's, circles around-a-point, S-turns, and low-flight." While doing slow flight at full power and flaps deployed, the aircraft's right wing dropped; the pilot tried to correct the problem by lowering the nose and applying aileron and rudder. However, the pilot reported that the aircraft started to spin, and oscillate left-to-right. The pilot was not able to fully recover the aircraft before impacting the surface of a lake. Both the passenger and pilot were able to open the aircraft's door and exit the craft.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 357 hours in all; 271 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2007
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H73 Tahlequah OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:13 pm from KTQH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.