Mooney M20J accident near Marietta, Oklahoma, May 25, 1987
On May 25, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4787H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marietta, Oklahoma (Mcgeehe Catfish airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 25, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marietta, Oklahoma · Mcgeehe Catfish · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4787H · no longer on the register · serial 240877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM THE 2450 FT RWY AT THE MCGEEHE CATFISH AIRPORT NEAR MARIETTA, OK. THE RWY WAS SOFT WITH A SHARP RISE IN THE DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF. THE PLT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AFTER LIFTOFF AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST RESULTING IN THE ACFT IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. THE CFI HAD 5 HOURS OF TOTAL PIC TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL ACFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 535 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 283 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,855 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 1986; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wosco Aviation
The flight
- Destination: F54 Arlington TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,450 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LAV, 66 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.