Mooney M20F accident near Wagontire, Oregon, May 17, 1987
On May 17, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3523X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wagontire, Oregon (Wagontire airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wagontire, Oregon · Wagontire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3523X · no longer on the register · serial 670060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF WITH FULL FLAPS AND A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 6,200 FEET THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO GAIN FLYING SPEED. SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE THE AIRCRAFTS GEAR CAUGHT ON A BARBED WIRE FENCE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK THE GROUND COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR.
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: 411 hours in all; 299 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 372 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,645 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 5, 1987; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OR03 Wagontire OR at 9:00 pm
- Destination: U33 John Day OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,300 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.