Mooney M20F accident near Yosemite Valley, CA
On December 17, 2012, a Mooney M20F (airplane) was involved in an accident near Yosemite Valley, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- December 17, 2012
- Place
- Yosemite Valley, CA
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 37.775°N, 119.350°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130107X20121
Official records · WPR13FA312
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 17, 2012, about 1234 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20F airplane, N9524M, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near Yosemite Valley, California. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The flight originated from the Santa Ynez Airport (IZA), Santa Ynez, California, about 1027 with an intended destination of Mammoth Lakes, California. A family member of the pilot reported the airplane overdue to local law enforcement the evening of December 17, 2012, after becoming concerned when the pilot had not arrived at his intended destination. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an Alert Notification (ALNOT) for the missing airplane at 2309. An emergency locator beacon signal was not reported during the search and rescue operation. Search and rescue operations by Civil Air Patrol and local authorities were suspended on December 21, 2012. The wreckage was located by a visitor to the Yosemite National Park on July 7, 2013, near Vogelsang Peak. Review of radar data provided by the FAA revealed that following departure from IZA, the flight flew in a north easterly direction while ascending to about 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The data showed that the flight remained at 8,500 feet for about 22 minutes before initiating an ascent. About 4 minutes into the a
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain situational awareness and sufficient altitude to clear mountainous terrain.
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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.
