Mooney M20J N3201U
27 May 1989 · Big Pine Key, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 27 May 1989 at about 06:28 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N3201U was involved in an accident near Big Pine Key, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 06:28
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Big Pine Key, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 24.6696, -81.3506
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J
- Registration
- N3201U
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fort Lauderdale → Key West
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- MIA89LA159
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE LIGHT CONDITIONS (DARK NIGHT) AND WEATHER (HAZE) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PLT & PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A LATE NIGHT FLT FROM FORT LAUDERDALE TO KEY WEST, FLORIDA. THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT APPARENT INCIDENT UNTIL THE ACFT WAS IN AN OVERWATER DESCENT OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE DESCENT WAS NORMAL UNTIL ABOUT 0223 EDT, WHEN THE ACFT WAS APRX 34 MI NORTHEAST OF KEY WEST. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT'S HEADING BEGAN TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FLT MANEUVERING IN CLIMBS & DESCENTS OVER A 4 MI AREA. AFTER MANEUVERING ABOUT 4 MIN, CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST, AND SEARCH & RESCUE EFFORTS WERE INITIATED. AT 0655 EDT, AN OIL SLICK WAS FND IN THE VCNTY OF THE ACFT'S LAST KNOWN POSITION. AT ABOUT 0900 EDT, A COAST GUARD SHIP RECOVERED DEBRIS FROM THE ACFT, BUT THE ACFT'S MAIN WRECKAGE & THE OCCUPANTS WERE NOT FOUND. THE ACFT WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED & THE OCCUPANTS WERE PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN FATALLY INJURED OR DROWNED. THE WX AT KEY WEST WAS IN PART: 1500' SCATTERED, VIS 6 MI WITH HAZE. THE WX AT THE ACDNT SITE WAS NOT VERIFIED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20J accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr 1989 | Mooney M20J | Jasper, Texas, United States | Stratton, William A. | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Feb 1989 | Mooney M20J | San Martin, California, United States | Flying Country Club | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1989 | Mooney M20J | Suches, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 20 Jan 1989 | Mooney M20J | Lumberton, New Jersey, United States | Charles J. Whitney | No injuries | - |
| 4 Nov 1988 | Mooney M20J | San Diego, California, United States | Flyers Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1988 | Mooney M20J | Portland, Texas, United States | Winkle, James W. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Mar 1989 | Cessna 172H | Melbourne, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 1989 | Piper AEROSTAR 600 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Top Flight Air Service | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Mar 1989 | Bellanca 7KCAB | Daytona Bch Shr, Florida, United States | Aerial Messages, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Apr 1989 | Beechcraft C-45H | Tampa, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1989 | Coutz QUICKIE Q-2 | Lake City, Florida, United States | Rowe, Reardon L. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Apr 1989 | Cessna 150M | Miramar, Florida, United States | Tursair, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |