Mooney M20F accident near Brooks, Kentucky, July 8, 2007
On July 8, 2007 at about 8:02 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9180V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brooks, Kentucky (Brooks Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was the exceedance of the airplane's maximum gross weight, and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2007 · about 8:02 pm local time
- Place
- Brooks, Kentucky · Brooks Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9180V · no longer on the register · serial 690046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Mooney M20F, with three passengers onboard, attempted to land on a 2,150-foot turf strip with trees at both ends. During the landing, the airplane touched down fast and the pilot aborted the landing. He then joined the traffic pattern for a second attempted landing. During the second landing, the airplane touched down 506 feet down the runway and the pilot aborted the landing again. A passenger could see the tops of the trees and then heard the engine increase in power. During this time the airplane was observed in a nose-high attitude. Moments later it impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude and tumbled before coming to rest. The investigation revealed that the airplane had landed at the wrong airport (the destination airport runway was 150 feet shorter, and also had trees at both ends of the runway), had been overweight prior to departing, and was most likely over its maximum allowable operating weight while landing. The investigation also revealed that a passenger seatbelt had not been secured properly. During the impact sequence, an attachment fitting had detached, releasing the occupant from their seat restraint.
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: 1,297 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,163.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSB Harrisburg IL at 7:03 pm
- Destination: 07KY Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 2,150 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from SDF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.