Mooney M20A accident near Titusville, Florida, June 29, 1986
On June 29, 1986 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20A, registered N6561B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Titusville, Florida (Arthur Dunn airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- June 29, 1986 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Arthur Dunn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N6561B · registry record · serial 1231
- 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 THE WIND CHANGED FROM A CROSSWIND TO A TAILWIND ON FINAL APCH. HE CONTINUED THE APCH, LANDED, & DURING THE LANDING ROLL, REALIZED 'THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY,' & THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT ON THE RWY. HE THEN MANEUVERED THE ACFT TOWARDS THE SIDE OF THE RWY, DURING WHICH, IT STRADDLED A DITCH CAUSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE. DUE TO THE DELAY IN REPORTING OF THIS ACCIDENT NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE MALFUNCTION OF THE BRAKES.
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: 513 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 504 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,478 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-AIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FD37 St.Cloud FL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: X21 Titusville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from MCO, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6561B 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.