Mooney M20K accident near St. Augustine, Florida, March 16, 1992
On March 16, 1992, a Mooney M20K, registered N231KF, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Augustine, Florida. 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 SEPARATION OF THE SWAGE BETWEEN THE THROTTLE OUTER HOUSING AND THROTTLE CABLE RESULTING IN LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND THE ENGINE REDUCING TO IDLE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1992
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N231KF · no longer on the register · serial 25-0052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 4,000 FEET THE ENGINE REDUCED TO IDLE POWER OVER A 30 SECOND PERIOD. MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL HAD NO EFFECT ON ENGINE POWER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING AT AN AIRPORT THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE REACHED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN A SWAMP. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT INDICATED THE THROTTLE CABLE OUTER HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM THE THROTTLE CONTROL AT A POINT IT IS SWAGED. THIS ALLOWED THE INNER CONTROL CABLE TO FLEX AND NOT MOVE THE THROTTLE ARM. THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: 2,031 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,802 as pilot in command; 956 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,553 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1991; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISO Kinston NC at 10:00 pm
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.