Mooney M20G accident near Lantana, Florida, August 7, 1988
On August 7, 1988 at about 4:43 pm local time, a Mooney M20G, registered N4103N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lantana, Florida (Palm Beach County Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 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
- August 7, 1988 · about 4:43 pm local time
- Place
- Lantana, Florida · Palm Beach County Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20G · all M20Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4103N · registry record · serial 680074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAIL WIND. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE PLT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND DURING CLIMBOUT FROM THE GO-AROUND THE PILOT INITIATED A STEEP LEFT TURN WITH 30 TO 40 DEGREES OF BANK AND WITH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PASSENGER STATED THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED UPON INITIATION OF THE LEFT TURN AND THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE PLT MANAGED TO LEVEL THE WINGS TO A SLIGHT LEFT WING LOW BANK JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHING DOWN GEAR UP ON A PERPENDICULAR RUNWAY.
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: 173 hours in all; 87 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,021 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1987; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EYW Key West FL at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,489 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PBI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.