Mooney M-20E accident near Luling, Texas, June 29, 1990
On June 29, 1990 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Mooney M-20E, registered N9376V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Luling, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF CONTROL IN-FLIGHT DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. FACTORS WOULD BE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE TREE THAT HE HIT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1990 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Luling, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20E · all M-20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9376V · no longer on the register · serial 700014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FIELD ELEVATION WAS 550 FEET, AND DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 2,500 FEET. THE PILOT STALLED HIS AIRPLANE ON FINAL APPROACH TO HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND HIT A TREE AND THEN THE GROUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 801 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 630 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,760 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 1,400 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.