Mooney M20F accident near Watsonville, CA

On July 8, 2011, a Mooney M20F (airplane) was involved in an accident near Watsonville, CA. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

July 8, 2011

Place

Watsonville, CA

Aircraft

Mooney M20F · Airplane

Injuries

4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

36.936°N, 121.790°W

NTSB ID

20110707X35545

Official records · WPR11FA316

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Weather Briefing Audio: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Record of Communication - Airplane Co-Owner: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Record of Communication - Airport Manager: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 7, 2011, about 1928 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M-20F, N7759M, was substantially damaged when it impacted a parking lot and a building shortly after takeoff from Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI), Watsonville, California. The private pilot and the three passengers were fatally injured. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The airplane was co-owned by the pilot and another individual. According to the co-owner, the airplane was based at WVI. Relatives reported that the pilot, his wife, and their two children planned to travel to Groveland, California, for the weekend. Lockheed Martin Flight Services (LMFS) information indicated that the pilot contacted LMFS by telephone about 1023 on the day of the accident, and again about 1417, to obtain weather briefings. The pilot informed the LMFS representative that his intended destination was Pine Mountain Lake Airport (E45), Groveland. According to multiple information sources, a fog bank/stratus layer that moved inland (towards the airport) from the Pacific Ocean, and was typical for that locale during that time of year, was located just southwest of the airport at the time of the takeoff. That cloud phenomenon was often referred to as the "marine layer." According to information provided by several eyewitnesses, the airplane departed from WVI runway 20. One pilot witness reported that the airplane climb path was shallow, and that the airplane would

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to take off toward a nearby low cloud layer and the subsequent turn, stall, and spin during the pilot’s attempt to avoid the cloud layer. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to avoid the stall. His ability to avoid the stall was hindered by an inaudible stall warning system of questionable accuracy.

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

See it on the map

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