Mooney M20A accident near Marysvale, UT
On August 9, 2002, a Mooney M20A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Marysvale, UT. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 9, 2002
- Place
- Marysvale, UT
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.373°N, 112.373°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020816X01404
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 8, 2002, at approximately 1950 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20A, N1088B, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near Delano Peak (elevation 12,175 feet), near Marysvale, Utah. The private pilot and his three passengers were fatally injured. The pilot was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight which originated from Richfield Municipal Airport, Richfield, Utah, at approximately 1930. The pilot had not filed a flight plan, but family members said that the airplane was destined for Colorado City, Arizona. The Fixed Base Operator's records at the Richfield Municipal Airport indicate the pilot had the airplane "topped" off with 41.2 gallons of fuel. The refueler on the ramp remembered that the airplane departed at approximately 1930. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center confirmed the location of an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal in the Delano Peak area at approximately 2115. The following morning the Civil Air Patrol located the missing airplane, and a rescue/recovery team was dispatched. The airplane was found on a ridgeline at 11,814 feet. Family members said the pilot, "would fly around that ridgeline, on many occasions, looking for animals." PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot took his last second class Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight medical examination on April 26, 2001, and at that time he reported on his application that he had 750 hours of flight experience, with 30 hours during the previous 6 months. The pilot's
Probable cause
the pilot's poor in-flight decision to fly so close to the ridge (looking for animals). Contributing factors were the mountainous terrain condition, the downdraft weather conditions in high mountains, and the high density altitude weather condition.
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Browse: Utah · 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.
