Mooney M20C accident near Houma, Louisiana, December 22, 1988
On December 22, 1988 at about 11:23 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6444U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houma, Louisiana (Houma-Terrebone airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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
- December 22, 1988 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- Houma, Louisiana · Houma-Terrebone · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6444U · no longer on the register · serial 2191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN BUT WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN THE COMMUNICATIONS RADIOS FAILED. PILOT USED HAND HELD TRANSCEIVER, BUT COMMUNICATIONS WERE NOT SATISFACTORY. PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO DESTINATION BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY NOR ASK FOR VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT. ATC STARTED VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT ONE MILE FROM AIRPORT, JUST BEFORE END OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING.
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: 1,141 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,041 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 42J Keystone Hts FL at 5:50 pm
- Destination: HUM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:29 am from HUM, 1 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.