Mooney M20C accident near Painesville, Ohio, November 16, 1991
On November 16, 1991 at about 4:00 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N9637M, was destroyed in an accident near Painesville, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE POWERLINE TOWER STRUCTURE WHILE EXECUTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF PROPER RADIO EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO EXECUTE THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH, RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1991 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Painesville, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9637M · no longer on the register · serial 670108
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO PILOTS DEPARTED KEENE, NH, IFR AND UPON ARRIVAL AT PAINESVILLE, OH, THEY RECEIVED A CLEARANCE TO EXECUTE THE NDB B APPROACH. ONE OF THE PILOTS CANCELLED THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND REPORTED THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT. THE CONTROLLER QUERIED THE PILOT WHEN HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ON RADAR 4 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. ONE OF THE PILOTS INDICATED THEY WERE MANEUVERING TO LAND ON A DIFFERENT RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 150 FOOT TALL POWERLINE SUPPORT TOWER APPROXIMATELY 140 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE VISIBILITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS LESS THAN ONE MILE IN RAIN AND FOG. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ADF.
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: 2,896 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,762 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1986; 1,010 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EEN Keene NH at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.