# Accident 19880823035329A: Mooney M20J, Inyokern, CA, August 23, 1988

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 1988, 20:58 local time
- Place: Inyokern, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8808° N, 118.1495° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8808&lon=-118.1495&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5769Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5769Y-1991-04-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A3B6
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 488 total, 297 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX88FA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88FA297) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880823035329A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FLEW INTO A THUNDERSTORM AT NIGHT. LOST CONTROL AND IMPACTED DESERT AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. WAS ADVISED OF WEATHER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX88FA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88FA297), Aug 24, 1988: Mooney M20J (N5769Y), Inyokern, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: PILOTS INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL AFTER ENCOUNTERING A LEVEL FOUR THUNDERSTORM ON A NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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