Mooney M-20F accident near Aledo, Texas, May 31, 1990
On May 31, 1990, a Mooney M-20F, registered N6873V, was destroyed in an accident near Aledo, Texas (Triple S airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, IN AS MUCH AS THE PERFORMANCE DATA WAS NOT USED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, AND PREMATURE LIFTOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1990
- Place
- Aledo, Texas · Triple S · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20F · all M-20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6873V · no longer on the register · serial 22-1266
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RUNWAY WAS SHORT. THE DAY WAS HOT. THE AIRPLANE MADE A RUNNING START ONTO THE GRASS AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT PULLED THE AIRPLANE INTO THE AIR, WELL PAST THE NORMAL LIFTOFF POINT. THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT FLY OUT OF GROUND EFECT. THE PILOT KEPT THE AIRPLANE AIRBORNE UNTIL IT PASSED OVER A ROAD AND A FENCE, THEN HE PULLED THE POWER OFF, AND IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. AIRSTRIP OAT WAS 94 DEGREES F. AND DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 3,600 FEET VERSUS AIRSTRIP ELEVATION OF 870 FEET MSL. AIRPLANE WAS NOT OVERLOADED FOR A NORMAL DAY, BUT IT WAS OVERLOADED FOR THE DENSITY ALTITUDE ON THIS DAY.
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: 262 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 213 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1990; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.