Mooney M20 accident near Hamilton, Texas, May 24, 1985
On May 24, 1985 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N853B, was destroyed in an accident near Hamilton, Texas (Hamilton 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).
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
- May 24, 1985 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Texas · Hamilton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N853B · registry record · serial 1014
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THE ACFT AND ENGINE ASSY HAD EXPERIENCED EXECSSIVE VIBRATIONS WHILE IN FLT FOLLOWED BY THE WINDSHIELD BEING COVERED WITH OIL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VIBRATION STARTED. THE PROPELLER ASSY HAD BECOME LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE MOUNT AND SEPARATED AT IMPACT. ONLY ONE BOLT REMAINED ATTACHED AT IMPACT. METALLURGICAL EXAM INDICATED A LACK OF TORQUE WHICH ALLOWED VIBRATORY AND OTHER HIGH CYCLE STRESS TO BE FELT BY THE BOLTS THEREBY INITIATING AND PROPAGATING FATIQUE CRACKS.
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: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1984; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 68F Teague TX at 1:50 pm
- Destination: BWD Brownwood TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,545 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.