Mooney M20E accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 13, 1986
On September 13, 1986 at about 2:09 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N1250X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. 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 13, 1986 · about 2:09 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N1250X · no longer on the register · serial 125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT APPARENTLY HAD NEGLECTED TO CHECK HIS ENGINE OIL SUPPLY BEFORE TAKEOFF SINCE THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CRANKCASE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IF FIVE QUARTS OF OIL (THE AMOUNT THE PILOT REPORTEDLY STATED WAS IN THE ENGINE AT TAKEOFF) HAD LEAKED OUT DURING A FIVE MINUTE FLIGHT, THEN THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE AND THE EMPENNAGE ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE BEEN COATED WITH OIL. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF AN OIL LEAK. THE FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED A DIRT BANK AND COLLAPSED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 567 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,667 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 5, 1986; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2DT Oklahoma City OK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: OF7 Eufaula OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.