# Accident 19940607014389A: Mooney M20C, Columbia, SC, June 7, 1994

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 7, 1994, 01:35 local time
- Place: Columbia, SC
- Airport: Columbia Metropolitan
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9902° N, 81.0809° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9902&lon=-81.0809&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6879U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6879U-2013-05-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20C (registry code 5870208, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 450 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL94FA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94FA116) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940607014389A

## Narrative

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

FAILED TO CLEAR TREES ON NIGHT IFR TAKEOFF. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. FAILED TO ESTABLISH PROPER CLIMBOUT RATE.

## 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 ATL94FA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94FA116), Jun 7, 1994: Mooney M20C (N6879U), West Columbia, SC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING CLIMBOUT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE LOW CEILINGS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
