Mooney M20J accident near Blue Ash, Ohio, April 4, 1991
On April 4, 1991 at about 2:46 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N5810C, was destroyed in an accident near Blue Ash, Ohio (Blue Ash airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED DURING A LANDING APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SPIN AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1991 · about 2:46 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Ash, Ohio · Blue Ash · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N5810C · no longer on the register · serial 24-1558
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE MOONEY M20J, N5810C, WAS DELIVERING HIS AIRPLANE TO THE BLUE ASH AIRPORT, OHIO FOR MINOR REPAIRS, WHEN HE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. HE HAD CALLED THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING INFORMATION MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AN FAA INSPECTOR SAID, 'I WOULD ESTIMATE THE ALTITUDE TO BE BETWEEN 200 AND 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND...THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, THEN WENT INTO A SPIN...I THEN SAW THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED.' THE LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CLOSE BASE LEG FOR A VFR LANDING PATTERN. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT LOG SHOWED 3 FLIGHTS IN 1989, 2 FLIGHTS IN 1990, AND 1 FLIGHT IN 1991, ALL IN THE MOONEY M20J.
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: 500 hours in all; 7 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hahne Enterprises
The flight
- Departed from: I69 Batavia OH at 2:00 pm
- Destination: I77 Blue Ash OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.