Mooney M20J accident near Kraemer, Louisiana, September 10, 1985
On September 10, 1985 at about 3:05 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4793H, was destroyed in an accident near Kraemer, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- September 10, 1985 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Kraemer, Louisiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4793H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0883
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS DESCENDING FROM CRUISE ALT WHEN IT ENTERED A RADAR LVL 3 THUNDERSTORM AND CONTROL WAS LOST DURING A NIGHT VFR FLT. THE ACFT IMPACTED A SWAMP IN A VERTICAL ATTITUDE WITH THE RT WING LEADING SLIGHTLY. THE LFT WING WAS FOUND ABOUT 10' SOUTH OF THE MAIN CRATER INDICATING THAT THE ACFT WAS INTACT AT IMPACT. THE PLT HAD A STORM SCOPE INSTALLED THAT MORNING AND HAD RECEIVED A CHECKOUT ON ITS OPERATION PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. NEW ORLEANS TRACON HAD ADVISED THE PLT OF THE PRESENCE OF THE CELL ALONG HIS FLT PATH, BUT HE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. RECORDED RADAR DATA INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN A NORMAL DESCENT PROFILE WHEN CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE ACFT ENTERED A VERT DESCENT. THE RADAR LVL 3 CELL WAS PROBABLY ACCOMPANIED BY AT LEAST MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS AND TURB. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED BRIEFINGS FROM BOTH FSS AND NWS AND WAS AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BPT Beaumont TX at 1:44 am
- Destination: NEW New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from MSY, 17 miles away
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.