Mooney M20J accident near Portland, Texas, June 24, 1988
On June 24, 1988 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201ZP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Texas (Hunt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 24, 1988 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Texas · Hunt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201ZP · no longer on the register · serial 24-0538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DRAGGED THE LOWER EMPENNAGE ON THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF ROTATION. A PREMATURE LIFTOFF RESULTED AND THE AIRCRAFT RECONTACTED THE RUNWAY TWICE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE RUNWAY END. THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A POWERLINE BEFORE IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FAILED TO PROPERLY POSITION THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB BEFORE INITIATING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN.
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: 695 hours in all; 492 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 622 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,233 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1987; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9R5 at 2:45 pm
- Destination: BMT Beaumont TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14L, 2,650 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:25 pm from CRP, 7 miles away
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.