Mooney M20F accident near Carrollton, Georgia, December 22, 2007
On December 22, 2007 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9371M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrollton, Georgia (West Georgia Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's descent below the glidepath during the approach, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing factors included the pilot's diverted attention, pilot fatigue, and the night lighting conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2007 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Carrollton, Georgia · West Georgia Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9371M · no longer on the register · serial 670255
- 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 was flying a night instrument landing system (ILS) approach and became distracted while attempting to locate and tune in the airport's common traffic advisory frequency. The airplane subsequently descended below the glideslope and impacted the ground about 1 mile from the airport. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He also indicated that due to strong headwinds, he had earlier stopped at an intermediate airport, and should have stayed there, as he was fatigued at the time of the accident. The pilot reported 1,075 hours of total flight experience, which included 990 hours in make and model, and 62 hours in actual instrument meteorological conditions. Weather, reported at an airport about 35 miles to the east of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included a visibility of 1.5 miles in light drizzle and mist, and broken and overcast cloud layers at 400 and 700 feet respectively.
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: 1,075 hours in all; 990 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,992 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VJI Abingdon VA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: CTJ Carrollton GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 5,652 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from ATL, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.