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NTSB Report

May 2, 1991 · Mooney M20F · N9624M

Quincy, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 2, 1991
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Quincy, CA
Aircraft
Mooney M20F
Tail Number
N9624M
Operator
James I /Michele G Johnson
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX91FA190

THE PLT PLANNED A NONSTOP FLT FM WA TO CA, & HE RECD PREFLT WEATHER BRIEFINGS SHOWING GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS. ENROUTE, THE PLT AMENDED HIS ROUTE & LANDED AT KLAMATH FALLS, OR. DURING ROLLOUT THE ACFT NEARLY VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT TOLD ATC HE NEEDED A REST STOP & HE HAD HAD A FLAP PROBLEM. WITNESSES REPORTED THE PLT LOOKED "NERVOUS, UNDECIDED & BEWILDERED." THE PLT CONTINUED HIS S-BND CIRCLING ROUTE OF FLT WHICH PLACED TEH ACFT OVER THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERRA NEVADA MTNS AT ELE OVER 7000 FT MSL. 40 MI WEST LAY THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CA, ELE 300 FT MSL. WHILE CRUISING AT 13,000 FT THE PLT REVERSED COURSE & DISAPPEARED FM RADAR. THE ACFT CRASHED INVERTED INTO 4900 FT MSL TERRAIN, ABT 1.5 FM ITS LAST RADAR POSITION. WITNESSES REPORTED IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY & LIGHTNING WAS VISIBLE. THE PLT HAD NOT LOGGED ANY INST FLT TIME IN 19 YRS. HIS TOTAL TIME WAS 88 HRS. HIS TOTAL PIC TIME IN THE ACFT (WHICH HE HAD PURCHASED 3 WKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT) WAS 0.5 HRS.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC AND THEREAFTER HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION WHICH RESULTED IN HIS DELAYED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, DISORIENTATION AFTER ENTERING CLOUDS AND RAIN, AND TO HIS LACK OF RECENT FLYING EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE MODEL OF AIRPLANE.

Full Narrative

THE PLT PLANNED A NONSTOP FLT FM WA TO CA, & HE RECD PREFLT WEATHER BRIEFINGS SHOWING GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS. ENROUTE, THE PLT AMENDED HIS ROUTE & LANDED AT KLAMATH FALLS, OR. DURING ROLLOUT THE ACFT NEARLY VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT TOLD ATC HE NEEDED A REST STOP & HE HAD HAD A FLAP PROBLEM. WITNESSES REPORTED THE PLT LOOKED "NERVOUS, UNDECIDED & BEWILDERED." THE PLT CONTINUED HIS S-BND CIRCLING ROUTE OF FLT WHICH PLACED TEH ACFT OVER THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERRA NEVADA MTNS AT ELE OVER 7000 FT MSL. 40 MI WEST LAY THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CA, ELE 300 FT MSL. WHILE CRUISING AT 13,000 FT THE PLT REVERSED COURSE & DISAPPEARED FM RADAR. THE ACFT CRASHED INVERTED INTO 4900 FT MSL TERRAIN, ABT 1.5 FM ITS LAST RADAR POSITION. WITNESSES REPORTED IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY & LIGHTNING WAS VISIBLE. THE PLT HAD NOT LOGGED ANY INST FLT TIME IN 19 YRS. HIS TOTAL TIME WAS 88 HRS. HIS TOTAL PIC TIME IN THE ACFT (WHICH HE HAD PURCHASED 3 WKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT) WAS 0.5 HRS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time12:33 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftMooney M20F
Tail NumberN9624M
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorJames I /Michele G Johnson
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360-A1A · Reciprocating · 200
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 44 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data