Mooney M-20E accident near Pickens, South Carolina, June 22, 1998
On June 22, 1998 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Mooney M-20E, registered N2709W, was destroyed in an accident near Pickens, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot not maintaining adequate clearance with objects (trees) during the emergency landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's impairment associated with the use of an antihistamine and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1998 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pickens, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20E · all M-20Es on the register
- Registration
- N2709W · no longer on the register · serial 1020
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in radio and radar contact with FAA Greenville/Spartanburg's Departure Control, climbing through 7,900 feet msl, to an assigned altitude of 9,500 feet msl, about 30 miles northwest of the Greenville/Spartanburg Airport, the pilot radioed that she had a very rough running engine and wanted vectors to the nearest airport. The controller supplied vectors to within 7 miles of the nearest airport, at which time the pilot chose a farmers field for a forced landing. The airplane collided with two pine trees within a stand of pines about 40 feet above ground, in a relatively flat, wings level, upright attitude. The airplane continued airborne for about 310 feet over a relatively clear field and then impact dense brush and 8- to 12-foot trees in an inverted attitude. Subsequent disassembly and examination of the engine and its associated components revealed no cause for the rough running engine. A finding of 0.056 ug/ml (ug/g) Diphenhydramine (antihistamine) was reported in the toxicological evaluation of the pilot's blood and urine.
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: 116 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,392 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1997; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYH Greenville SC at 2:30 pm
- Destination: MOR Morristown TN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from GSP, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.