# Accident 20260831011519A: Mooney M20C, Mt Hood, OR, August 31, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 31, 2026, 11:31 local time
- Place: Mt Hood, OR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.5367° N, 121.6125° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5367&lon=-121.6125&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2783W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2783W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20C (registry code 5870208, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 670 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26FA320](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA320) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260831011519A

## Narrative

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

ON 08/31/2026 AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A MOONEY M20C ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED FROM 4S2, KEN JERNSTEDT AIRFIELD, IN HOOD RIVER, OREGON FOR A FLIGHT TO PERFORM THE FLIGHT REVIEW FOR THE AIRCRAFT OWNER/PILOT WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD. SPECIFIC DEPARTURE TIME IS UNKNOWN. AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 AM THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED WITH A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE COLLISION RESULTED IN FATAL INJURIES FOR BOTH OCCUPANTS AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE IMPACT AREA SHOWED AN APPROXIMATE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT OF 220 DEGREES WEST-SOUTHWEST. ALSO NOTED WAS THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND A STEEP ANGLE WITH TREE BRANCHES BROKEN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND 50 FEET HIGH IN THE DIRECTION THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN ESTIMATED TO HAVE FLOWN. THE LEADING EDGES OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SHOWED IMPACT DAMAGE AND THE LEADING EDGE AND UNDERSIDE OF THE LH ELEVATOR WERE DAMAGED CONSISTENT WITH DAMAGE FROM TREE BRANCHES. A FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK WAS NOT PERFORMED DUE TO THE DAMAGE AND THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL BEING REMOVED TO EXTRACT THE OCCUPANTS. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER WAS INCONCLUSIVE BUT MAY SHOW DAMAGE SIGNS THAT THE ENGINE WAS AT A LOW POWER SETTING.

NO CAUSES OR FACTORS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THIS REPORT WILL BE UPDATED IF ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS RECIEVED.

## 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 WPR26FA320](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA320), Aug 31, 2026: Mooney M20C (N2783W), Mount Hood, OR, substantial damage, 2 fatal, investigation ongoing

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.