Mooney M20J accident near Tampa, Florida, March 20, 1983
On March 20, 1983 at about 11:20 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N1166U, was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Tampa Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 20, 1983 · about 11:20 am local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N1166U · no longer on the register · serial 24-1297
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN INSTRUMENT TAKEOFF IN IMC. THE SKY WAS OBSCURED & VISIBILITY ZERO. AFTER LIFT-OFF THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PLT STATED HE AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION BY ADVANCING DOWN TRIM WHICH WAS HIS ROUTINE TO ESTABLISH A 5 DEG CLIMB PITCH. HE FURTHER AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION BY ENGAGING THE AUTOPILOT. ON 'HDG' MODE THE AUTOPILOT HOLDS THE ACTIVE TRIM WHICH WAS STILL DOWN. THE PLT ALSO THOUGHT HE SET THE HSI BUG TO THE RWY HEADING OF 360 DEG. AFTER THE ACCIDENT HE FOUND THE 'HDG' BUG ON 330 DEG.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,692 hours in all; 1,462 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 1,579 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 319 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1983; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 6:20 am
- Destination: Montgomery AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 8,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.