# Accident 20030902027889A: Mooney M20K, Novato, CA, September 2, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 2, 2003, 05:44 local time
- Place: Novato, CA
- Airport: Gnoss Field Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.1333° N, 122.5603° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1333&lon=-122.5603&mi=10
- Aircraft: N252AK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N252AK-2003-10-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20K (registry code 5870220, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 GB (registry code 17070, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-gb) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20K
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,700 total, 2,600 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03LA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA276) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030902027889A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT AFTER ROTATION HE HAD NO VISIBLE HORIZON AND NO GROUND LIGHTS. HE THEN ENGAGED AUTO-PILOT AND NOTICED A DECREASE IN THE RATE OF CLIMB FOLLOWED BY STALL WANING ACTIVATION. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED TO THE LEFT. PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LOWER THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LEVEL THE WINGS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES.

## 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 LAX03LA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA276), Sep 2, 2003: Mooney M20K (N252AK), Novato, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to attempt VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions during the dark early morning takeoff, which resulted in spatial disorientation and lead to a collision with trees…

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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