Mooney M20C accident near Blanding, UT
On July 26, 2003, a Mooney M20C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Blanding, UT. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 26, 2003
- Place
- Blanding, UT
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.569°N, 109.483°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030731X01241
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 26, 2003, at 1052 mountain daylight time, N35KR, a Mooney M20C, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during takeoff at Blanding Municipal Airport, Blanding, Utah. The private pilot and his three passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan had been filed for the cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, and was en route to Englewood, Colorado. The airplane departed North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, and the pilot activated his flight plan at 0804. According to family members, the pilot was flying his three grandchildren home to Englewood so that his granddaughter could celebrate her birthday there. According to data from the on-board GPS (global positioning system), the airplane landed at Blanding at 1014. The pilot used a self-service pump to fill the fuel tanks with 20.1 gallons of 100LL fuel. The airplane departed on runway 17 shortly thereafter. One person, whose house was near the runway, reported hearing an airplane take off. Shortly thereafter, he heard two "pops" which he said sounded like gunshots. He then saw "a plane down and on fire." An airport employee saw the fire. He drove to the scene and tried to extinguish the fire. He noted the time as being shortly after 1050. Another individual said he "didn't see the plane crash, [but he] saw smoke start, then fire and an explosion." At 1113, fire and rescue personnel arrived and extinguished the fire with foam. PE
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall/spin.
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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.
