Mooney M-20J accident near Deland, Florida, October 26, 2000
On October 26, 2000 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Mooney M-20J, registered N201SE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deland, Florida (Deland Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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
the dual student's improper use of the brakes and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision which resulted in a loss of directional control and a subsequent ground swerve during which the aircraft exited the runway and collided with a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2000 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20J · all M-20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201SE · registry record · serial 24-1706-14
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor stated that during the landing rollout the student applied violent pressure to the right brake, which moved the nose about 70 degrees to the right, and the aircraft entered a skid toward the right side of the runway. The instructor said that he then immediately took control of the airplane, but the student maintained his feet on the brakes, and the airplane collided with a runway sign, incurring substantial damage. The student stated that it is possible that he could have been just using the right brake to stop the aircraft, and that upon application of the brakes the aircraft started skidding. The student said he then transferred controls to the instructor, but the aircraft was traveling too fast, and exited into the grass where one wing hit a sign. Postaccident examinations of aircraft's steering and brake systems did not reveal any abnormalities to the aircraft, or its systems prior to 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 685 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 540 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,185 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 7, 2000; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,881 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DED at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,379 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DAB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N201SE 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.