Mooney M20C accident near Kissimmee, Florida, October 7, 1990
On October 7, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N1389W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MALFUNCTION OF BOTH MAGNETOS DUE TO DETERIORATION OF THE COILS, FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE ON AN APPROACH FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE OBSTRUCTION (TREE) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA, AND DIVERSION OF THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1389W · no longer on the register · serial 2667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THE ENG STARTED & RAN NORMALLY BEFORE TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, DURING FLT, IT BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PLT REDUCED THE POWER SETTING WHICH INITIALLY ELIMINATED THE ENG ROUGHNESS. HE CHECKED EACH MAGNETO & NOTED NO MALFUNCTION; HOWEVER, WHILE DIVERTING TO A NEARBY ARPT, THE ENG AGAIN BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH & A SEVERE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT STRUCK A PALM TREE DURING A LEFT DESCENDING TURN AT LOW ALTITUDE & CRASHED. THE ENG WAS EQUIPPED WITH BENDIX MODEL S4LN-200 SERIES MAGNETOS. DURING A BENCH CHECK BOTH MAGNETOS BEGAN MISFIRING AFTER ABOUT 15 TO 20 MIN OF OPN. DISASSEMBLY OF THE MAGNETOS REVEALED THE NONCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL IN THE COILS WAS CRACKED & WAS BEGINNING TO LIQUEFY; THIS RESULTED IN MISDIRECTION OF THE HIGH VOLTAGE SPARK. THE MAGNETOS HAD APRX 2316 HRS IN SVC. ACCORDING TO AD 73-07-04, THE COILS IN THE MAGNETOS OF THIS ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AFTER ACCUMULATING APRX 2000 HRS OF OPN. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 11 HRS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPN.
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: 581 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 581 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,316 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1990; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: TOC Toccoa GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MCO, 12 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.
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.