Mooney M-20J accident near Inola, Oklahoma, April 10, 1990
On April 10, 1990 at about 1:40 am local time, a Mooney M-20J, registered N526L, was destroyed in an accident near Inola, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONDUCT THE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1990 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Inola, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20J · all M-20Js on the register
- Registration
- N526L · registry record · serial 24-1382
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED A NIGHT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT LESSON AND ELECTED TO FLY HIS AIRPLANE HOME. HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO GET HIM TO DRIVE HOME BUT HE SAID NO, HE COULD MAKE IT. THE EXACT WX CONDITIONS HE ENCOUNTERED COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BUT THE AREA WAS UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING AT THE TIME. THERE WERE NO RECORDS TO SHOW THE PILOT CONTACTED ANY COMMERCIAL OR GOVERNMENT WEATHER SERVICE. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A HIGH SPEED, DESCENDING LEFT TURN, TOWARD THE DIRECTION OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, WHEN IT IMPACTED A TREE, A FENCE AND FENCE POST, A HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE, AND THE GROUND. ALL OF THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. NO PRE-IMPACT PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE, ENGINE, OR RELATED COMPONENTS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED IN VFR CONDITIONS. HE ALSO SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS OPERATIONAL ON THE AIRPLANE WHEN THEY FINISHED THEIR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT LESSON.
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: 354 hours in all; 28 in the last 30 days; 299 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,226 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 2,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK
- Destination: Wagoner OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from TUL, 30 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.