Mooney M20E accident near Visalia, California, August 3, 1988
On August 3, 1988 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N9273M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Visalia, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- August 3, 1988 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Visalia, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9273M · no longer on the register · serial 1212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REMOVED THE VACUUM PUMP FROM THE ENGINE PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT BECAUSE OF AN INTERNAL FAILURE IN THE PUMP. THE PILOT DID NOT INSTALL A COVER PLATE ON THE ACCESSORY MOUNTING HOLE VACATED BY THE PUMP. AFTER TAKEOFF ON THE LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE WAS DROPPING AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS RISING. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE ENGINE SIEZED AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A COTTON FIELD.
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: 531 hours in all; 466 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,629 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1987; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIS at 10:25 pm
- Destination: VIS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9273M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.