Mooney M-20-J accident near Aurora, Oregon, August 18, 1986
On August 18, 1986 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Mooney M-20-J, registered N201PJ, was destroyed in an accident near Aurora, Oregon (Aurora State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1986 · about 11:20 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Aurora, Oregon · Aurora State · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20-J · all M-20-Js on the register
- Registration
- N201PJ · registry record · serial 24-0180
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 9,000 FEET MSL THE PILOT SMELLED SMOKE AND ELECTRICAL FUMES. HE THEN TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND RETURNED TO LAND. HE MANUALLY LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR BUT IT FOLDED UPON LANDING ROLL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THE GEAR TO FOLD NOR FOR THE SMELL IN THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT FAILED TO ENSURE THAT THE GEAR WAS FULLY EXTENDED AND LOCKED.
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: 1,000 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I-O-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S2 Aurora OR at 11:00 pm
- Destination: EKA Eureka CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:20 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N201PJ on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Mooney M-20 6,246 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Mooney 5,395 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming I-O-360-A1B6D · as the NTSB recorded it
- Murray Field · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,008 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA86LA212.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.