# NTSB DEN68A0013: Mooney M20C, N79856, Hillsboro, NM, August 12, 1967

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: August 12, 1967
- Place: Hillsboro, NM · HILLSBORO, NM
- Location: 32.9218° N, 107.5772° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hillsboro, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9218&lon=-107.5772&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report October 17, 1967
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 115850
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN68A0013
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN68A0013

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-0555  67/8/12    HILLSBORO,N MEX     MOONEY M20C         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 35, 105
        TIME - 1604                    N79856              PX-  2  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 36 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               0
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                      RAIN, THUNDERSTORM
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          FOG                                                      IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE-8/13/67.ACFT STRUCK GRND IN A 30 DEG NOSE DOWN, WNGS LVL ATTITUDE DURING SEVERE RAIN
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N79856](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N79856-1970-06-12), registration cancelled 1970-06-12, S/N 2996 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Registry model: [Mooney M20C](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c) (registry code 5870208) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

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.

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