Mooney M20C accident near Sparta, Tennessee, November 15, 1997
On November 15, 1997 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N78952, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sparta, Tennessee (Crossville Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight and inflight decision and his inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors are self induced pressure, mountainous terrain, and low clouds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1997 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sparta, Tennessee · Crossville Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N78952 · no longer on the register · serial 1986
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was briefed earlier in the day that VFR flight was not recommended due in part to mountain obscurement and also due to the freezing level. The flight departed then remained in the traffic pattern and landed due to rain. The flight remained on the ground about 2 hours and while waiting, the pilot was advised by the airport manager how to fly out of the mountains by following a road westbound while flying at 2,300 feet (500-600 feet agl). According to the passenger, the flight departed using that instruction and after being airborne about 10 minutes, the flight entered a fog bank or cloud. The pilot then began banking to the left and during the turn, the passenger noted that the altimeter indicated 2,100 feet. While descending the airplane collided with a tree then the ground. Examination of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed no evidence of flight control preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. The pilot was not instrument rated but had accumulated about 43 hours simulated instrument time. According to his flight instructor, the pilot had a tendency to lose altitude during turns while wearing a vision restricting hood which simulated instrument conditions. The instructor also stated that the accident pilot would lose concentration and would be easily overloaded during simulated instrument flight. The passenger stated that both were tired, and the pilot wanted to get home and off the mountain.
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: 931 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 865 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,765 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1997; 2 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: CSV Crossville TN at 10:20 pm
- Destination: PBF Pine Bluff AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from CSV, 15 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.