# NTSB DEN79FA032: Mooney M20F, N3881N, Crestone, CO, March 19, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: March 19, 1979
- Place: Crestone, CO · CRESTONE, CO
- Location: 37.9945° N, 105.6962° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Crestone, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9945&lon=-105.6962&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report October 15, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 137253
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN79FA032
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN79FA032

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2770  79/3/19  NR.CRESTONE,CO        MOONEY M20F         CR-  2  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - UNK/NR                  N3881N              PX-  1  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 41, 1400 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE,
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ASPEN,CO                    TAOS,NM
        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
        FACTOR(S)
           PERSONNEL - TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL: FAILURE TO ADVISE OF UNSAFE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
        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                                              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
          BLOWING SNOW                                             UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- FSS WX BRIEF INACCURATE.RECOVERY DATE 4/7/79.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3881N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3881N-2018-03-16), registration cancelled 2018-03-16, S/N 680141, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F
- Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## Other investigations on N3881N (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 FTW68D0439](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW68D0439), Feb 4, 1968: Mooney M20F (N3881N), Webber Falls, OK, substantial damage

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.

---
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.