Mooney M-18C accident near Lockhart, Texas, April 21, 1984
On April 21, 1984 at about 9:47 pm local time, a Mooney M-18C, registered N4083, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lockhart, Texas (Lockhart Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1984 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- Lockhart, Texas · Lockhart Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-18C · all M-18Cs on the register
- Registration
- N4083 · no longer on the register · serial M-18C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RELATED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT PERFORMING WELL FROM THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL. SINCE HE HAD ONLY PREVIOUSLY FLOWN THE ACFT IN WINTER MONTHS & THE TEMP WAS QUITE WARM, HE THOUGHT THE LACK OF PERFORMANCE WAS DUE TO THE TEMP. HE STAYED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN & MADE A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING. HE DID NOT USE THE CARB HEAT SINCE HE THOUGHT THE AIR WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE. AFTER THE TOUCH-&-GO, THE ENG WAS EVEN MORE SLUGGISH. ON DOWNWIND, HE NOTICED AN INDICATION OF ZERO OIL PRESSURE & ELECTED TO TURN DIRECTLY TO THE RWY FOR AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. HE DECIDED NOT TO EXTEND THE GEAR SO AS TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE & MINIMIZE DAMAGE.SUBSEQUENTLY, HE CONTACTED THE GROUND, LEFT WING 1ST, WHILE TRYING TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO INDICATION OF INTERNAL FAILURE. APRX 2 QTS OF OIL WERE FOUND IN THE ENG & AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT HAD DRAINED OUT AT THE CRASH SITE. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 80 & 50 DEG. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS CARB ICING WAS POSSIBLE AT OR BELOW RATED POWER. AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WAS USED.
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: 211 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 50R Lockhart TX at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW84LA207.