Mooney M20J accident near Furnace Creek, CA
On January 29, 2011, a Mooney M20J (airplane) was involved in an accident near Furnace Creek, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- January 29, 2011
- Place
- Furnace Creek, CA
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 36.364°N, 116.866°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110131X43010
Official records · WPR11FA114
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 29, 2011, at an undetermined time, a Mooney M20J, N50BJ, impacted terrain near Furnace Creek, California. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Furnace Creek between 1430 and 1515 Pacific standard time (PST) with a planned destination of Santa Monica, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. A witness reported that the accident airplane departed from Furnace Creek Airport (L06) between 1430 and 1515 on January 29, 2011, and departed to the south. The witness observed the airplane’s ground operations and the takeoff, which appeared normal to him. The airplane wreckage was not discovered until January 31, 2011, around 0830 PST by National Park personnel. The wreckage was located 7 miles south of the departure airport. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The 61-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate for single-engine land operations and an instrument rating. No personal flight records were located for the pilot. The aeronautical experience listed in this report was obtained from a review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The pilot reported on his medical application that he had a total flight time of 2,000 hours with 20 hours logged in the last 6 months. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION T
Probable cause
The magneto clamps were not securely fastened to the mount, which led to a partial loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing on unsuitable terrain.
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.
