Mooney M20C accident near South Lake Tahoe, CA
On July 22, 2013, a Mooney M20C (airplane) was involved in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 22, 2013
- Place
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.890°N, 119.991°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130722X51944
Official records · WPR13FA335
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 22, 2013, about 1045 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20C airplane, N6709U, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during takeoff initial climb, from the South Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL), South Lake Tahoe, California. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a personal cross-country flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot received fatal injuries, and the sole passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was departing South Lake Tahoe for Palo Alto, California. South Lake Tahoe Airport is a non-tower controlled airport (no operating control tower). Witnesses heard the pilot of the accident airplane announce his intention to depart via runway 36, with a right downwind departure on the airport's universal communications frequency (UNICOM). The airport has rapidly rising terrain on the east side (right side) of runway 36. Multiple witnesses saw the accident airplane lift off from runway 36 about midfield, and commence an immediate right climbing turn to the east, toward the rising terrain. The airplane maintained a nose-high attitude, and as it crested the ridgeline, it turned left, and descended below the ridge out of sight. The airplane's wreckage was located about 1 mile east of the airport in a heavily wooded area. During an interview with the wife of the deceased pilot on July 24, she told the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) that she was the sole passenger, and was seat
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to turn into rising terrain that would have required performance in excess of the airplane’s maximum climb rate to clear after taking off at a high density altitude.
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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.
