Mooney M20C accident near Bainbridge, Georgia, May 4, 1985
On May 4, 1985 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6850U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bainbridge, Georgia. 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
- May 4, 1985 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bainbridge, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6850U · registry record · serial 2555
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT NOTED A SEVERE ENG VIBRATION. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENG & MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE ACFT HIT A DITCH & WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE PROP BLADE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE & THE END OF THE BLADE HAD SEPARATED. THE FATIGUE HAD ORIGINATED ON THE SIDE OF THE BLADE. THERE WERE INDICATIONS OF CORROSION WERE THE CRACK BEGAN, APRX 17' FROM THE BASE OF THE BLADE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,070 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 1,974 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,020 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Callahan Aviation Services
The flight
- Departed from: SPG Spartanburg SC at 2:00 pm
- Destination: ANB Anniston AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from ALB
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.