Mooney M20K N231FW
3 July 1992 · Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 3 July 1992 at about 17:00 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231FW, operated by Baldwin, Mark, was involved in an accident near Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and one 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 17:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, United States
- Coordinates
- 44.8702, -88.1406
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K
- Registration
- N231FW
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Baldwin, Mark
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Oconto → Sturgeon Bay
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI92FA195
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS DURING A LOW PASS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF THE 69-YEAR-OLD PILOT WERE VISITING AT HIS COTTAGE OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY. THE PILOT'S STATED INTENTION WAS TO FLY HIS AIRPLANE TO PICK UP HIS GIRLFRIEND. THE FRIENDS REPORTED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY 'LOW OVER THE BACK YARD IT STARTED GOING UP...AGAIN AFTER HE GOT OUT OF SIGHT...WE ALL HEARD LOUD BANGING, CRACKLING NOISES...' THE FRIENDS/RELATIVES REPORTED THE PILOT HAD MADE LOW PASSES OVER THE COTTAGE ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, BUT HE SEEMED LOWER THAN USUAL ON THIS PASS. THEY STATED: 'WE THOUGHT HE WAS PLAYING A JOKE ON US POSSIBLY WITH FIRE CRACKERS...' DAMAGE TO TREES AND WRECKAGE DEBRIS REVEALED THE AIRPLANES RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE ABOUT 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH THE TREES, COMING TO REST INVERTED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20K accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 1992 | Mooney M20K | St. Augustine, Florida, United States | Garofalo, Joseph JR. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 1992 | Mooney M20K | Weston, West Virginia, United States | T and S Rentals | Fatal | 2 |
| 16 Feb 1992 | Mooney M20K | Wheeling, West Virginia, United States | David B. & Elisabeth Fraser | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Jun 1992 | Mooney M20K | Stanley, Idaho, United States | Horsley, George H. | No injuries | - |
| 29 Nov 1992 | Mooney M20K | Orange, Virginia, United States | Rouben Yedigarian | No injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1991 | Mooney M20K | Knox, Indiana, United States | Northern Harvest Furniture, Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Nov 1992 | Piper PA-28-140 | Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States | Brookfield Pilot Service, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 3 Oct 1992 | Stinson 108-3 | Mountain, Wisconsin, United States | Hartman, Phillip W. | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Oct 1992 | Univair 415C | Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States | Carter Aero Club | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Oct 1992 | Piper PA-34-220T | Madison, Wisconsin, United States | Joseph T. Steuer | No injuries | - |
| 27 Nov 1992 | Cessna 401B | Rice Lake, Wisconsin, United States | Freight Runners Express, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 1 Dec 1992 | Beechcraft 77 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |