Mooney M20J accident near Aberdeen, Mississippi, March 28, 2017
On March 28, 2017 at about 11:15 am local time, a 1980 Mooney M20J, registered N643RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Aberdeen, Mississippi (Monroe County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain after takeoff in dark night conditions for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2017 · about 11:15 am local time
- Place
- Aberdeen, Mississippi · Monroe County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J, built 1980 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N643RJ · no longer on the register · serial 24-1003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot of the single-engine airplane was departing on a cross-country flight in dark night, visual meteorological conditions over sparsely lighted terrain. GPS and radar information showed that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane turned about 5° left during its initial climb over the runway before beginning a climbing right turn consistent with a direct heading toward the destination. The airplane continued the right turn past the on-course heading and entered a descent, which continued until impact with terrain about 2,500 ft from the departure end of the runway. The wreckage path orientation was consistent with a steep, powered descent and impact with terrain in a right descending turn. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airframe or engine. It is unlikely that the pilot's high blood pressure or its treatment contributed to the accident and there is no evidence to suggest that he was suddenly impaired or incapacitated by his moderate coronary artery disease. Overall, it is unlikely that the pilot's medical conditions or use of medications contributed to the accident. The dark night conditions and sparsely-lighted terrain in the vicinity of the airport combined with the pilot's high cockpit workload during takeoff into instrument meteorological conditions, may have been conducive to the development of spatial disorientation; however, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether disorientation may have contributed to 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of visual reference during initial climb defining event
- Unknown or undetermined during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on personnel
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 24,800 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 5, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,873 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 2017; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 2,873 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M40 Aberdeen MS at 11:14 am
- Destination: MBO Madison MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 4,999 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 11:03 am from CBM, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on April 18, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witness Statement - Airport Manager | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Plan | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Logbooks Excerpt | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Weight and Balance and POH Excerpt | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record - ATC radar Notes | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Video File with Sound | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photographs of Accident Site and Damage | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Engine Data Monitor - Factual Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Engine Data Monitor - Tabular Data | data file | Download |
| 11 | Global Positioning System (GPS) - Factual Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Global Positioning System (GPS) - Tabular Data | data file | Download |
| 13 | Toxicological Report - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 14 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 15 | Evidence and Wreckage Release Forms | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.