Mooney M20F accident near Kerrville, Texas, July 18, 2003
On July 18, 2003 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N353JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kerrville, Texas (Kerrville Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the failure of the number three cylinder as the result of undertorqued cylinder bolts. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2003 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kerrville, Texas · Kerrville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N353JT · no longer on the register · serial 67053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 6,533-hour pilot reported that the engine developed a vibration during cruise flight. The pilot suspected a runaway propeller, and elected to shut down the engine. During the forced landing, the airplane went through a fence and impacted terrain. Examination of the engine revealed that the number three cylinder had separated from the 200 horsepower Lycoming engine. Metallurgical evaluation by the NTSB Materials Laboratory revealed that the crankcase bolts were found to be fractured from stress fatigue cracking, and concluded that fatigue failure on cylinder mounting hardware is usually the result of insufficient torque loading.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,533 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 6,194 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2002; 64.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 7:50 pm
- Destination: SSF San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm from ERV, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.