Piper PA-32RT-300 and Mooney M20J mid-air collision near Healdton, Oklahoma, February 12, 1985
On February 12, 1985 at about 3:49 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-32RT-300 (N39516) and Mooney M20J (N1162N), were involved in a mid-air collision near Healdton, Oklahoma. 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- February 12, 1985 · about 3:49 pm local time
- Place
- Healdton, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N39516 · no longer on the register · serial PA32R7885225
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N1162N · no longer on the register · serial 24-1283
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-32RT-300 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED AT 4,500 FT MSL WITHIN APRX 15 DEGREES OF HEAD-ON. VMC WITH 30 MI VISIBILITY EXISTED WITH PLT REPORTED WINDS ALOFT AS BEING LIGHT FROM THE WEST. EN ROUTE RECORDED DATA INDICATED THAT N39516 WAS ON A TRUE COURSE OF 180 DEG AND N1162N WAS ON A TRUE COURSE OF 346 DEG. MAGNETIC VARIATION WAS APRX 7 DEG & 25 MIN EAST GIVING AN APRX MAGNETIC COURSE FOR N39516 OF 173 DEG AND 339 DEG FOR N1162N. ACCORDING TO FAR 91.109 N39516 SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING AN ODD THOUSAND FT MSL ALT PLUS 500 FT. THE STABILATOR OF N39516 WAS SEPARATED FROM THE VERTICAL FIN CAUSING THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR OF N39516 VIOLATED THE CABIN OF N1162N FATALLY INJURING THE SOLO PLT. N39516 WAS CONSUMED BU POST-CRASH FIRE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Mooney M20J final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED AT 4,500 FT MSL WITHIN APRX 15 DEGREES OF HEAD-ON. VMC WITH 30 MI VISIBILITY EXISTED WITH PLT REPORTED WINDS ALOFT AS BEING LIGHT FROM THE WEST. EN ROUTE RECORDED DATA INDICATED THAT N39516 WAS ON A TRUE COURSE OF 180 DEG AND N1162N WAS ON A TRUE COUSE OF 346 DEG. MAGNETIC VARIATION WAS APRX 7 DEG & 25 MIN EAST GIVING AN APRX MAGNETIC COURSE FOR N39516 OF 173 DEG AND 339 DEG FOR N1162N. ACCORDING TO FAR 91.109 N39516 SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING AN ODD THOUSAND FT MSL ALT PLUS 500 FT. THE STABILATOR OF N39516 WAS SEPARATED FROM THE VERTICAL FIN CAUSING THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR OF N39516 VIOLATED THE CABIN OF N1162N FATALLY INJURING THE SOLO PLT. N39516 WAS CONSUMED BU POST-CRASH FIRE.
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 for the Piper PA-32RT-300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 718 hours in all; 82 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 683 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1984; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hurricleen Leasing CORP
The flight
- Departed from: OUN Norman OK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 8F7 Decatur TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 pm from ADM, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Mooney M20J from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 724 hours in all; 258 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 573 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 437 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1984; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Enterprises
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 9:11 pm
- Destination: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.