Mooney M20K accident near Baker City, OR
On August 11, 2018, a Mooney M20K (airplane) was involved in an accident near Baker City, OR. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 11, 2018
- Place
- Baker City, OR
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 44.813°N, 117.794°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180811X51444
Official records · WPR18FA218
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 11, 2018, at 1017 Pacific daylight time a Mooney M20K, N231EC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Baker, Oregon. The private pilot and student pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. About 1015, a pilot who was in his hangar about 1,300 ft southwest of the runway 31 midfield at Baker City Municipal Airport (BKE), observed a low-wing airplane flying directly overhead toward the south. It caught his attention because it was inside the normal left downwind traffic pattern but was flying lower than appropriate, between 600 and 700 ft above ground level (agl). He then heard the airplane reduce engine power to a setting that seemed appropriate for an airplane descending to land. He did not see the airplane emitting any smoke or vapors. He anticipated watching the airplane land, but did not see it. About the same time, the owner of a local fixed base operator located on the airfield heard the pilot of the accident airplane report that he was on final for runway 31. She did not hear the pilot make any additional calls, and did not hear the airplane land. Multiple witnesses located south of the airport recounted seeing a low-wing airplane flying south-southeast in a direction typically followed by airplanes making a landing similar to the approach for runway 31. Two witnesses saw the airplane begin a left turn out of view beyond trees, followed by the sound of an impact. One witness saw the airplane turn, then immediately transit
Probable cause
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the landing approach as a result of his diversion of attention after a series of non-essential aircraft systems became inoperative following the failure of the engine-driven vacuum pump, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
More accidents in OR
- Cessna T207A, Aug 21, 1986
- Piper PA-28-180, Sep 1, 1984
- Piper PA-28RT-201, Mar 12, 1984
- Piper PA 46-310P, Apr 7, 2017
- Cessna 172, Jun 23, 2012
Browse: Oregon · 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.
