Mooney M-20A N8146E

Summary

On 29 January 1983 at about 18:58 local time, a Mooney M-20A registered N8146E, operated by William Laine Hobbie II, was involved in an accident near Prattville, Alabama, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

29 January 1983 at 18:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Prattville, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Autauga Conty (1A9)

Coordinates

32.5100, -86.5603

Aircraft

Mooney M-20A

Registration

N8146E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

William Laine Hobbie II

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Auburn → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL83FA091

4 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE LEFT WING SEPARATED AS THE PLT BEGAN A PULL-UP AFTER A LOW PASS. THE SEPARATION POINT WAS IN THE WING ROOT WHERE THEMAIN SPAR HAD BEEN SECURED TO THE FUSELAGE WITH A METAL BRACKET. A BUTT SPLICE HAD BEEN MADE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WING SPAR. THE FRACTURE AREA AT THE ROOT END OF THE MAIN WING SPAR WAS SOFT, DAMP & DISCOLORED COMPARED TO OTHER WOOD IN THE AREA. THE BUTT JOINT WAS LATER DETERMINED AS HAVING NO CAPABILITY FOR TRANSFERRING AXIAL STRESSES. THIS REPAIR WAS NOT DONE UNDER SUPERVISION OF A LICENSED MECHANIC. THE ACFT HAD OPERATED 40 HRS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION DATED 6/8/82. AD76-15-1 (INSPECTION OF THE WOOD WING) REQUIRES THAT THE WOOD WING BE INSPECTED IAW MOONEY SB M20-170A.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.