Mooney M20 accident near Pocahontas, Arkansas, December 13, 1997
On December 13, 1997 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N6159E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pocahontas, Arkansas (Nick Wilson Field). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. A related factor was: the pilot's lack of recent experience in the make and model of airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1997 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pocahontas, Arkansas · Nick Wilson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N6159E · no longer on the register · serial 1181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, the Mooney M20 airplane 'suddenly' turned to the left, skidded sideways, went off the runway into the grass, and came to a stop in a drainage ditch. The pilot reported that he was initially able to correct for the left turn and bring the airplane back to the right side of the runway. However, at about this point, he 'may have inadvertently' applied the brakes. Subsequently, the airplane 'went into [a] skid sideways.' The private pilot had accumulated 135 hours of flight time, of which 13 hours were in a Mooney M20 airplane. He had made approximately 25 takeoffs and landings in the accident airplane; however, he had not flown the airplane during the 30 days preceding the accident.
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: 135 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,777 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1997; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M70 at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,999 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from ARG, 6 miles away
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.