Mooney M20K accident near Wheeling, West Virginia, February 16, 1992
On February 16, 1992 at about 3:31 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N231NR, was destroyed in an accident near Wheeling, West Virginia (Wheeling-Ohio County 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND HIS IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR PROPER RECOVERY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS ICING CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AIRFRAME ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1992 · about 3:31 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, West Virginia · Wheeling-Ohio County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N231NR · no longer on the register · serial 25-0328
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE AT CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE PILOT REPORTED '...WE'RE VERY LOW ON OIL PRESSURE AND THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE IS GETTING VERY HIGH.' THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO DIVERT TO WHEELING, WV., AND EXECUTE THE VOR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 21. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE BREAK OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROX 500 FT OVER THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THEN MAKE A RT BANKED TURN OF MORE THAN 60 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. 'MODERATE' RIME ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED ALONG THE PILOT'S ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH OF ICE WAS FOUND ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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: 2,898 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,277 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1991; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: N67 Philadelphia PA at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 pm from HLG, 1 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.