Mooney M20K accident near Ventura, CA

On May 12, 1994, a Mooney M20K (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ventura, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

May 12, 1994

Place

Ventura, CA

Aircraft

Mooney M20K · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

34.270°N, 119.161°W

NTSB ID

20001206X01314

NTSB summary

On May 12, 1994, at 0825 hours Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N231WD, lost control and collided with terrain in a lemon orchard near Ventura, California. The airplane was being operated by the pilot/coowner as a personal flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The certificated private pilot and private pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated in Camarillo, California, at 0819 hours and was destined for Sedona, Arizona. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and a composite IFR/VFR flight plan was filed. At 0819:09 hours, the right seat pilot contacted the Point Mugu Approach Control after takeoff from Camarillo. The pilot reported climbing through 400 feet mean sea level (msl). At 0819:14 hours, the approach controller instructed the pilot to fly heading 275 degrees and climb and maintain 4,000 feet msl, report when on top of the clouds, and when the pilot desired to cancel the instrument flight rules (IFR) portion of the flight and continue to the destination under visual flight rules (VFR). The pilot then acknowledged the instruction. At 0821:58 hours, the approach controller advised the pilot the tops of the clouds were last reported to be at 2,500 feet msl. The pilot acknowledged the approach controller's advisory and indicated they would report when they broke out on top. This was the last known communication with the accident airplane. Radar data was recorded by the Point Mugu Approach Control. The approach control equipment stores the data in a format that permits the information to be displayed on the radar scr

Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CREW TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE FIRST PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO ASSURE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT SEAT BY REFERENCE TO THE INSTRUMENTS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE LEFT SEAT.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.