Mooney M20D accident near Punta Gorda, Florida, February 23, 1985
On February 23, 1985 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Mooney M20D, registered N5588Q, was destroyed in an accident near Punta Gorda, Florida (Charlotte County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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 23, 1985 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Punta Gorda, Florida · Charlotte County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20D · all M20Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5588Q · no longer on the register · serial 258
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 9 AND A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY AFTER THIS WITH ITS ENGINE LOSING POWER AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THIS WITNESS THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ONE QUARTER MILE FROM THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 21 AND 27 IN A 20 TO 25 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT A RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A POST CRASH FIRE HAD DESTROYED THE ENGINE ACCESSORY SECTION, COCKPIT INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND CABIN SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ROTATION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION HOWEVER THE CARBURETOR WAS FOUND NOT TO HAVE A GASKET INSTALLED BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM SECTIONS AND A FIRE HAD OCCURRED WITHIN THE CARBURETOR FUEL BOWL.
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: 390 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 270 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,875 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1984; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PGD at 6:02 pm
- Destination: X31 Crystal River FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,950 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from FMY, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.