Mooney M20C accident near Pettigrew, Arkansas, September 20, 1997
On September 20, 1997 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N7045V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pettigrew, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision. Factors were the prevailing low ceilings, the inaccurate flight and navigation instruments as result of the failure of the engine accessories vacuum pump and the lack of suitable terrain for the pilot to execute the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1997 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pettigrew, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7045V · registry record · serial 20-1203
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on a VFR cross country flight, the weather deteriorated to broken to overcast ceilings. The pilot stated that he noticed the vacuum pressure in the instrument pressure gauge dropped below the normal operating range and both gyros started to fail. About 10 minutes later the pressure went to zero resulting in the loss of the artificial horizon, directional gyro and the wing leveler system. The pilot stated that after losing the gyros, he elected to proceed towards the nearest airport (Huntsville), using VOR for navigation. The weather continued to deteriorate and he elected to descend in order to remain VFR. The airplane descended below the minimum reception altitude for the VOR, resulting in the loss of VOR and DME. The pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing in an open pasture. The pilot told the IIC that the field selected looked level from the air; however, during the landing roll he found that the field had a couple of rises in it which minimized the effectiveness of the wheel brakes resulting in the airplane skidding into a fence post.
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: 493 hours in all; 231 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1997; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Roanoke TX at 1:10 pm
- Destination: 3M0 Lakeview AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FYV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW97LA358.