Mooney M-20-E accident near Oceanside, California, February 28, 1985
On February 28, 1985 at about 7:02 pm local time, a Mooney M-20-E, registered N9325M, was destroyed in an accident near Oceanside, California (Oceanside airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1985 · about 7:02 pm local time
- Place
- Oceanside, California · Oceanside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20-E N20E · all M-20-Es on the register
- Registration
- N9325M · no longer on the register · serial 1257
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GND WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING RY 24 AT OCEANSIDE MUNI ARPT OCEANSIDE, CA. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RY AT AB OUT 100 FT AGL, THE PLT BEGAN A LEFT TURN. PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE TURN, THE ACFT STALLED A CRASHED INTO A BLDG LOCATED ASOUTH & ADFACENT TO RY 24. BOTH OCCUPANTS ABOARD THE ACFT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. NO PERSONS ON THE GROUND WERE INJURED. THE BLDS WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND ITS CONTENTS WERE DISTROYED. DISASSEMBLY EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NO. 1 CYL SPARK PLUGS WERE NOT FIREING AND THAT THE NO. 3 CYL PISTON COMPRESSION RING WAS BROKEN & THE UPPER SPARK PLUG WAS OIL SOAKED. THE ABSCENCE OF RING PAR- TICLES IN THE OITL FILTER INDICATED THE RING BROKE DURING THE ACCIDENT FLT. SEVERAL CRANKSHAFT & CON ROD BEARINGS SHOWED HIGH TEMP DISTRESS. MOST OF THE OIL PASSAGE HOLES WERE PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY THE BEARINGS. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS PUSHED REARWARD. THE MAINT LOGS REVEAL TWO PRIOR PROP GND CONTACT. THE ENG HAD NOT BEEN OVHLD & HAD ACCUM MORE THAN 1868 HRS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: L32 Oceanside CA at 7:01 pm
- Destination: FOT Fortuna CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,061 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.