Mooney M20K accident near Marietta, Oklahoma, August 12, 1989
On August 12, 1989 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N252WW, was destroyed in an accident near Marietta, Oklahoma (Mcgehee Catfish 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 PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING (GOING AROUND) AND HIS IMPROPER RAISING OF THE FLAPS AT AN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1989 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Marietta, Oklahoma · Mcgehee Catfish · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252WW · no longer on the register · serial 25-1060
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY. THE PLT FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT THE LANDING, BUT HESITATED BEFORE ELECTING TO GO AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND, HE ESTABLISHED A CLIMB & BEGAN RAISING THE FLAPS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO WATCH THE FLAP INDICATOR TO STOP THE FLAPS AT THE 'TAKEOFF' POSITION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED IN THE TOPS OF TREES ON LOWER TERRAIN BEYOND THE DEP END OF THE RWY.
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: 1,375 hours in all; 697 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-MB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Walter E. Gray, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,450 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.