Mooney M20J accident near Jasper, Texas, April 27, 1989
On April 27, 1989 at about 11:05 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201TP, was destroyed in an accident near Jasper, Texas (Bell Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF HIS ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DAWN AND GROUND FOG IN THE AREA, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1989 · about 11:05 am local time
- Place
- Jasper, Texas · Bell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201TP · no longer on the register · serial 24-0304
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF PATCHY FOG IN THE AREA. HE SAID HE WAS CLEAR OF THE FOG AND WAS FLYING TOWARD THE AREA OF THE AIRPORT TO SEE IF HE COULD SEE ANY LIGHTS ON THE AIRPORT. HE THOUGHT THE ALTIMETER WAS READING APRX 1300 FT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE HIT PINE TREES & CRASHED. ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 220 FT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1988; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5TXO Denton TX at 9:10 am
- Destination: JAS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.