# Accident 19971202036949A: Mooney M20J, Sedona, AZ, December 2, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 2, 1997, 22:00 local time
- Place: Sedona, AZ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8481° N, 111.8152° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Sedona, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8481&lon=-111.8152&mi=10
- Aircraft: N301JL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N301JL-1999-06-15) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 3,022 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA050) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971202036949A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE AREA FORECAST WAS FOR VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS WITH OCCASIONAL VISIBILITY REDUCING TO 3 TO 5 MILES IN MIST. THE 700 MB (10,000 FEET MSL) CONSTANT PRESSURE CHART DEPICTED FLAGSTAFF AS HAVING NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF APPROXIMATELY 25 KNOTS.  AFTER CHECKING THE WEATHER SEVERAL TIMES, THE PILOT DEPARTED SEDONA (ELEVATION 4,827 FEET).  NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE 21 MILE NORTHBOUND FLIGHT TO FLAGSTAFF. DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO GROUND LIGHTS IN THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT.  AFTER TAKEOFF, THE NORTHBOUND AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE LEEWARD SIDE OF A 6,100-FOOT RIDGE, ABOUT THE 5,952-FOOT LEVEL, AND AT A POINT LOCATED ALONG A DIRECT ROUTE TO FLAGSTAFF.  THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED BEARING 019 DEGREES AND 4.3 MILES FROM THE SEDONA AIRPORT.  GIVEN THE WIND AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT, THE INFLUENCE OF SUCH WINDS WOULD RESULT IN DOWNSLOPE WIND CONDITIONS OVER THE ACCIDENT SITE.                   (-23) NO NARRATIVE

## 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 LAX98FA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA050), Dec 3, 1997: Mooney M20J (N301JL), Sedona, AZ, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate terrain clearance during the climb. Contributing factors were dark night conditions, mountainous/hilly terrain, and mountain wave weather conditions.

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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