Mooney M20K accident near Blue Springs, Missouri, July 3, 1984
On July 3, 1984 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N231FV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blue Springs, Missouri. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1984 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Springs, Missouri · 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
- N231FV · no longer on the register · serial 25-0227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF ACFT LEVELED AT 2700 FEET AGL AT WHICH TIME THE PLT LEANED THE MIXTURE AND SET THE THROTTLE. SHORTLY AFTER, MANIFOLD PRESSURE ROSE ABOVE RED LINE AND THE ENGINE QUIT. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED DETONATION IN THE #1 CYLINDER. THE #2 CYLINDER SHOWED EXTENSIVE THERMAL DAMAGE. ALSO, THE OIL PUMP WOODRUFF KEY SHEARED OFF.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,211 hours in all; 934 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 1,091 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 899 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 25, 1984; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 5:35 pm
- Destination: A1Z Osage Beach MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 pm from MKC, 18 miles away
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.