20170112000309A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mooney M20J · Lake Hughes, CA · January 12, 2017

Date: January 12, 2017 · 09:30 local
Place: Lake Hughes, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6201N
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR17FA055
Reported as: Mooney M20J
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total

N6201NRegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2017 · Mooney M20JS/N 24-0590 · Built 1978 Airframe modelMooney M20J Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

January 12, 2017, while enroute to torrance California from tehachapi California, N6201N impacted terrain eighty feet below the Lake Hughes VOR facility. The aircraft was located on the north side of burnt peak at an elevation of 5,788 feet. N6201N was destroyed on impact, killing the pilot. The ELT failed to transmit. The aircraft was located six days after the crash. The impact signatures at the accident site indicated a (cfit) event at cruise speed.

As the FAA filed it

JANUARY 12, 2017, WHILE ENROUTE TO TORRANCE CALIFORNIA FROM TEHACHAPI CALIFORNIA, N6201N IMPACTED TERRAIN EIGHTY FEET BELOW THE LAKE HUGHES VOR FACILITY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BURNT PEAK AT AN ELEVATION OF 5,788 FEET. N6201N WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT, KILLING THE PILOT. THE ELT FAILED TO TRANSMIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED SIX DAYS AFTER THE CRASH. THE IMPACT SIGNATURES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE INDICATED A (CFIT) EVENT AT CRUISE SPEED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR17FA055Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportLake Hughes, CAThe pilot's controlled flight into mountainous terrain while attempting to operate under visual flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).Jan 12, 2017 · Substantial damage