# NTSB DEN75AD033: Mooney M20F, N3890N, Watrous, NM, December 19, 1974

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: December 19, 1974
- Place: Watrous, NM · WATROUS, NM
- Location: 35.7899° N, 104.9821° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Watrous, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7899&lon=-104.9821&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 11, 1975
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 144970
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN75AD033
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN75AD033

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4103  74/12/19 NR.WATROUS,N MEX      MOONEY M20F         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 32, 300
        TIME - 1817                    N3890N              PX-  2  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          GOODLAND,KANS               ESPANOLA,N MEX
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY RADIO
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 12/20/74.FLEW INTO LOCAL SNOW SHWR AT NITE.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3890N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3890N-1975-03-13), registration cancelled 1975-03-13, S/N 680144 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F
- Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19741219043529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19741219043529A), Dec 19, 1974: Mooney M20F, Watrous, NM, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Recovery date 12/20/74.flew into local snow shwr at nite.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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