Mooney M20E accident near Brenham, Texas, September 17, 1989
On September 17, 1989 at about 4:54 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N9462V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brenham, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, IMPROPERLY SECURED OIL LINE TO THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR, FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE, AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF OIL, WHICH RESULTED IN OIL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO FOLLOW THE SERVICE BULLETIN/INSTRUCTION, AND THE TREE AND ROUGH TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1989 · about 4:54 pm local time
- Place
- Brenham, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9462V · no longer on the register · serial 700036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE AT 6500 FT, OIL APPEARED ON THE WINDSCREEN. FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS SOON RESTRICTED & SEVERE VIBRATIONS PROMPTED THE PLT TO SECURE THE ENG. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DMGD WHEN IT HIT A SMALL TREE & ENCTRD UNEVEN TERRAIN DRG A FORCED LNDG. INV REVEALED A 90 DEG ALUMINUM FITTING ON THE PROP GOVERNOR OIL LINE HAD FAILED WHERE IT ENTERED THE ENG CASE. THE OIL LINE WAS STAINLESS STEEL & ITS MOVEMENT WAS DESIGNED TO BE RESTRAINED BY CLAMPS, WHICH WERE NOT IN PLACE. A SVC INSTRN, ISSUED IN 1986, RCMNDD THAT ALUMINUM FITTINGS BE UPGRADED TO STAINLESS STEEL. A SVC BULLETIN DATED 9/8/89 RELATED TO NUMEROUS 'ENGINE FAILURES DUE TO OIL STARVATION RESULTING FROM BROKEN GOVERNOR LINES.' ACCORDING TO THAT BULLETIN, FAILURE TO RE-INSTALL THE GOVERNOR LINE CLAMPS AFTER MAINT HAD BEEN THE CAUSE OF NUMEROUS ENG FAILURES. MAINT PERSONNEL ACCOMPLISHED BOTH A TOP OVERHAUL & AN ANNUAL INSPN, 50 & 12 HRS, RESPECTIVELY, BFR THE ACDNT.
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
- Flight time: 2,226 hours in all; 1,275 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,442 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1989; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9XS2 Porter TX at 4:15 pm
- Destination: PEQ Pecos TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.