Mooney M20K accident near Van Horn, Texas, April 23, 1982
On April 23, 1982, a Mooney M20K, registered N99996, was destroyed in an accident near Van Horn, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- April 23, 1982
- Place
- Van Horn, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N99996 · no longer on the register · serial 250614
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N99996 DEPARTED RIVERSIDE, CA ON A FLIGHT TO NACOGDOCHES, TX THE AIRCRAFT MADE A REFUELING STOP IN DEMING, NM, THE LAST KNOWN EN ROUTE POSITION. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT HELD A PVT CERTIFICATE, THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT WAS A FORMER FAA DESIGNATED PILOT EXAMINER. ACCORDING TO FLIGHT SERVICE STATION INFORMATION, THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING OR KNOWN CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT BY ANYONE AFTER IT DEPARTED DEMING. THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY RECORDED LOW CLOUD CEILINGS AND FOG AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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: 450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 160 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-6B4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Sdb Aviation Partnership
The flight
- Departed from: Deming NM at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Nacogdoches TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 015° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 109°F (43°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.