Mooney M-20C accident near Plant City, Florida, December 22, 1991
On December 22, 1991 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Mooney M-20C, registered N7866V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plant City, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER (NONMECHANICAL) FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THIS RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING TO AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1991 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Plant City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20C · all M-20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7866V · no longer on the register · serial 2829
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PRIVATE PILOT DUAL STUDENT WERE CONDUCTING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS. ON CLIMBOUT AT ABOUT 250 FEET AGL, THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA. ON LANDING APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER PILOT WAS INJURED. THE ENGINE WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR STATION. THE ENGINE WAS PLACED IN A TEST STAND AND RAN AT FULL POWER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command; 2,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: X-17 Plant City FL at 8:54 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from TPA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.