# Accident 20220101000209A: Mooney M20C, Arizona City, AZ, January 1, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 1, 2022, 15:00 local time
- Place: Arizona City, AZ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.7450° N, 111.6677° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Arizona City, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7450&lon=-111.6677&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6796N (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220101000209A

## Narrative

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

** PENDING NTSB FINAL **

ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1815 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME (MST), THIS OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED OF A FATAL ACCIDENT 30 MILES WEST OF ARIZONA CITY, AZ. THE AIRCRAFT IS LOCATED IN AN EXTREME RURAL AREA WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE BY ROAD.  IT WAS NOTED BY CIVIL AIR PATROL THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SCATTERED OVER A LARGE AREA, THE AIRCRAFT IS N6796N A MOONEY M20C.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, BUT HAS SINCE BEEN DEREGISTERED BY AIRCRAFT RECORDS ON JANUARY 31, 2021, DUE TO THE EXPIRY OF THE REGISTRATION.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED MARANA REGIONAL AIRPORT (KAVQ), DESTINATION FRENCH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA (F70) WITH AN EXPECTED ETA OF 1330 PST ON 12/31/2021.  THE FAMILY OF THE PILOT FILED AN ALNOT AFTER THE PILOT FAILED TO ARRIVE.  THE ALNOT WAS CALLED OFF ON 01/03/2022 AT 1500 PST WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPOTTED BY CIVIL AIR PATROL.

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS ONE PERSON ON THE AIRCRAFT THAT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE LATEST REPORTED MEDICAL, VERIFIED BY CAMI, WAS A THIRD CLASS MEDICAL DATED 09/05/2014.  THE PILOT HAS ONE PRIOR ACCIDENT ON NOVEMBER 01, 2010, WHEN THE INVESTIGATION STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED IN FLIGHT DUE TO A LACK OF ILLUMINATION AT NIGHT AND A LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.  IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PILOT RECEIVE A 44709 RE-EXAMINATION OF HIS QUALIFICATIONS.  ON FEBRUARY 25, 2011 THE PILOT SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED THE 44709 RE-EXAMINATION.  NO OTHER ACCIDENT HISTORY SINCE THEN.

** THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION **

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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