Mooney M20C accident near Starke, Florida, October 28, 1985
On October 28, 1985 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N79386, was substantially damaged in an accident near Starke, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 28, 1985 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Starke, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N79386 · no longer on the register · serial 2927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 15 FT AGL THE ENG SPUTTERED AND LOST PWR MOMENTARILY. FULL PWR WAS REGAINED BUT THE ACFT HAD LOST ALTITUDE AND COULD NOT CLIMB TO CLEAR TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN VEERED LEFT, MUSHED TO THE GROUND AND CONTACTED TREES. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT HAD SAT OUTSIDE IN HEAVY RAIN FOR A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE FLT.
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: 2,263 hours in all; 2,018 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 2,181 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,512 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 1985; 374 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:18 pm from GNV, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.