Mooney M20F N3455X
11 August 1997 · Tallahassee, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 11 August 1997 at about 05:25 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N3455X was involved in an accident near Tallahassee, 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 05:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Tallahassee, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Tallahassee Regional (TLH)
- Coordinates
- 30.3896, -84.5102
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F
- Registration
- N3455X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- New Orleans → Tampa
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- ATL97FA115
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
fatigue failure of the crankshaft for undetermined reasons. Related factors were: darkness, and obstructions (trees) in the emergency landing area.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During cruise flight at 5,000 feet msl in night visual conditions, the pilot reported a rough engine. ATC provided vectors to the nearest airport. Before reaching the airport, the engine quit. A forced landing was made about 2 miles short of the airport in a densely wooded area. After colliding with trees, the airplane impacted the ground, inverted. A postcrash ground fire destroyed the airplane. The engine crankshaft was found fractured through the #1 rod journal. Fracture features were mechanically damaged; the precise origin of the fracture could not be determined during a metallurgical examination. Examination of the airplane and engine records revealed no evidence of a propeller strike or previous impact damage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20F accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1997 | Mooney M20F | Safford, Arizona, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 1997 | Mooney M20F | Coral Springs, Florida, United States | John J. Kelly | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Dec 1997 | Mooney M20F | Ferncliff, Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 1997 | Mooney M20F | College Station, Texas, United States | Texas A&M Flying Club Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Apr 1997 | Mooney M20F | Marietta, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 May 1997 | Mooney M20F | Wheeling, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 1997 | Cessna 152 | La Crosse, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 1997 | Navion A | Quincy, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1997 | Diamond DA 20-A1 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Pelican Airways | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 1997 | Cessna 172N | Lakeland, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Apr 1997 | Cessna 150M | Ormond Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 1997 | Bellanca 8GCBC | Bunnell, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |