Mooney M-20J accident near Perry, Florida, April 21, 1988
On April 21, 1988 at about 1:33 am local time, a Mooney M-20J, registered N58110, was destroyed in an accident near Perry, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- April 21, 1988 · about 1:33 am local time
- Place
- Perry, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20J · all M-20Js on the register
- Registration
- N58110 · no longer on the register · serial 24 1643
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JACKSONVILLE CENTER REPORTED A LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT AT APPROX 2133 EDT AFTER IT DESCENDED FROM ITS LAST ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 6000 FEET. THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND DEBRIS FROM THE ACFT WERE FOUND SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE RESULTS OF AN AUTOPSY ON THE PILOT REVEALED HE EXPERIENCED A DISSECTING ANEURYSM AND HEMORRHAGE OF RIGHT CORONARY ARTERY. THE RESULTS OF TOXOCOLOGICAL STUDIES REVEALED A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 383 MG/DL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 1,010 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 109 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 22, 1988; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B60 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pensacola Avition Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 1:42 am
- Destination: PNS Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from TLH, 50 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.