Mooney M-22 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, November 26, 1987
On November 26, 1987 at about 4:20 am local time, a Mooney M-22, registered N7739M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie International airport). 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
- November 26, 1987 · about 4:20 am local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-22 · all M-22s on the register
- Registration
- N7739M · registry record · serial 700006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT ON LANDING ROLL AT APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 KNOTS THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BEGAN TO SHIMMY AND TURN TO THE LEFT. FULL RIGHT BRAKE AND RUDDER COULD NOT CORRECT THE LEFT TURNING TENDENCY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO SAND AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED AND THE MAIN LANDING GEARS COLLAPSED. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THE CAUSE OF THE SHIMMY AND LEFT TURNING TENDENCY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 827 hours in all; 497 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 662 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,414 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1987; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,680 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 am from VRB, 10 miles away
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.