# Accident 20060216001989A: Mooney M20F, Willits, CA, February 16, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 16, 2006, 19:39 local time
- Place: Willits, CA
- Airport: Ells Field Willits Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.4514° N, 123.3722° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4514&lon=-123.3722&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9704M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9704M-2013-05-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20F (registry code 5870214, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 280 total, 35 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX06CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06CA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060216001989A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 02/16/06 AT APPROXIMATELY 19:39 PST WHILE ATTEMPTING A NIGHT LANDING AT WILLITS CA AIRPORT ID O28, CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , WHILE PROVIDING NIGHT RE-CURRENCY TRAINING TO THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^      , A CERTIFIED PRIVATE PILOT, FAILED TO PREVENT HIS STUDENT FROM IMPACTING TREES AND LANDING APPROXIMATELY 1/8 OF A MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY 34. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS COMMENTED HEARING THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TELL THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ TO MAKE HIS APPROACH INTO THE AIRPORT HIGH, BOTH REAR PASSENGERS REPORTED SEEING TREES NEAR THE AIRCRAFT JUST BEFORE IMPACT. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT AN UNFORESEEN CLOUD OBSTRUCTED THEIR APPROACH AND GAVE CONFLICTING REPORTS OF EVASIVE MANEUVERS. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ REPORTED TURNING LEFT AND CLIMBING WHILE ^PRIVACY ^ REPORTED SEEING HIS STUDENT ATTEMPT TO FLY UNDER THE CLOUDBANK. BOTH THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ AND ^PRIVACY ^ REPORTED THAT AFTER CLEARING THE CLOUD, THEY SAW TREES, THIS WAS THE POINT THAT ^PRIVACY ^ TOOK OVER THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS APPLYING FULL MIXTURE, THROTTLE AND UP ELEVATOR JUST BEFORE IMPACTING A TREE WITH THE AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN LOST CONTROL IMPACTING A HILLSIDE.

## 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 LAX06CA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06CA118), Feb 17, 2006: Mooney M20F (N9704M), Willits, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain visual contact with the runway at night, which resulted in a descent below the proper glide path and a collision with a tree. Also causal was the flight instructor's…

## Other reports on N9704M (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20040127000859I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040127000859I), Jan 27, 2004: Mooney M20F (N9704M), Angel Fire, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On January 27, 2004, at approximately 1130 MST, N9704M, a Mooney-20-F, enroute from las vegas, new Mexico to Angel Fire, new Mexico lost control during…
- [Incident 20020609010909I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020609010909I), Jun 9, 2002: Mooney M20F (N9704M), Seattle, WA, Minor damage. (-23) Pilot stated during a telephone interview that he was distracted by his 3 and 7 year old grandsons in the aircraft at the wrong time, causing him to land…

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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