Mooney M20K accident near June Lake, CA
On November 30, 1993, a Mooney M20K (airplane) was involved in an accident near June Lake, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 30, 1993
- Place
- June Lake, CA
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.770°N, 119.060°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X13746
NTSB summary
On November 29, 1993, about 1749 hours Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20K, N5788U, collided with mountainous terrain about 7 miles west of June Lake, California. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight by the pilot. The airplane was destroyed. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The weather conditions at the accident site at the time of the accident are unknown. The airplane departed the Carson City Airport, Carson City, Nevada, at an unknown time and was destined for Chino, California, where the airplane was based. No flight plan was filed for the accident airplane. Family members reported the airplane's occupants missing to local law enforcement authorities after they failed to return home. On December 4, 1993, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was notified of the airplane being missing. The CAP conducted a search for the missing airplane without success. The airplane was found by a hiker on July 5, 1994, in a saddle several hundred feet west of Blacktop Peak at an elevation of 12,200 feet above mean sea level. According to a Mono County Sheriff's deputy, snow depths of twenty feet deep are common in the saddle during the winter months. Documents recovered from the airplane by the Mono County Sheriff's Office were dated November 29, 1993. The airplane was last seen at the Carson City Airport on November 29, 1993, about 1500 hours. The airplane's clock was found stopped at 5:49; the pilot's wrist watch was found stopped at 6:00; and the passenger's watch was found stopped at 12:39. The Mono County Coroner is listing the time of
Probable cause
THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN LIMITS (AIRSPEED AND/OR STRESS LIMITS) AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A DESCENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS (NIGHT OR LATE DUSK), THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California · Mooney aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
