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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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March 4, 1987 · Mooney M20J · N201LF

Weed, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 4, 1987
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Weed, CA
Aircraft
Mooney M20J
Tail Number
N201LF
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX87FA134

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD THAT STRONG HEAD WINDS, MOD TO SVR TURBC, MTN OBSCUREMENT, MULTIPLE LAYERS OF ICING & DETERIORATING WX WERE FORECAST ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLT. HE FILED AN IFR CLNC & TOOK OFF AT 1115 PST. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE REQD THE MEDFORD WX & WAS ADZD OF STANDING LENTICULAR CLOUDS. AT 1328 PST, HE CANCELED HIS IFR CLNC. LATER, AT 1535, HE OBTAINED ANOTHER IFR CLNC & WAS ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 11,000'. AT 1546 PST, THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS ENCTRG DOWNDRAFTS; 8 MIN LATER, HE SAID HIS ALT WAS 9300'. SHORTLY, THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CTC WERE LOST AFTER THE ACFT DSCNDD THRU 8900'. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE LEE SIDE OF A 9025' MTN AT APRX THE 6200' LVL. IT WAS FOUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH ITS BELLY AGAINST AN IMPACT DAMAGED TREE. THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BENT & TWISTED ABOUT 90 DEG, BUT THE EMPENNAGE WAS ESSENTIALLY UNDAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT. APRX 7 MI NORTH AT WEED ARPT (ELEV 2938'), THE WIND GUSTS WERE ESTD AT 70 TO 75 MPH.

Full Narrative

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD THAT STRONG HEAD WINDS, MOD TO SVR TURBC, MTN OBSCUREMENT, MULTIPLE LAYERS OF ICING & DETERIORATING WX WERE FORECAST ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLT. HE FILED AN IFR CLNC & TOOK OFF AT 1115 PST. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE REQD THE MEDFORD WX & WAS ADZD OF STANDING LENTICULAR CLOUDS. AT 1328 PST, HE CANCELED HIS IFR CLNC. LATER, AT 1535, HE OBTAINED ANOTHER IFR CLNC & WAS ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 11,000'. AT 1546 PST, THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS ENCTRG DOWNDRAFTS; 8 MIN LATER, HE SAID HIS ALT WAS 9300'. SHORTLY, THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CTC WERE LOST AFTER THE ACFT DSCNDD THRU 8900'. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE LEE SIDE OF A 9025' MTN AT APRX THE 6200' LVL. IT WAS FOUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH ITS BELLY AGAINST AN IMPACT DAMAGED TREE. THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BENT & TWISTED ABOUT 90 DEG, BUT THE EMPENNAGE WAS ESSENTIALLY UNDAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT. APRX 7 MI NORTH AT WEED ARPT (ELEV 2938'), THE WIND GUSTS WERE ESTD AT 70 TO 75 MPH.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:56 PST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftMooney M20J
Tail NumberN201LF
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360-A3B6D · Reciprocating · 200
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 60 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind180°, gusting 65 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F / 34 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time23:50
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data