# NTSB DEN79FA039: Mooney M20F, N842JW, El Morro, NM, May 8, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: May 8, 1979
- Place: El Morro, NM · EL MORRO, NM
- Location: 35.0445° N, 108.3203° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of El Morro, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0445&lon=-108.3203&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report October 16, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 135533
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN79FA039
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN79FA039-135533

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2610   79/5/8  NR.EL MORRO,NM        MOONEY M20F         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 25, 220
        TIME - 2030                    N842JW              PX-  1  1  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, ALL IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ALBUQUERQUE,NM              WINDOW ROCK,AZ
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRFRAME ICE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           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                                               100
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/4 MILE OR LESS                                          SNOW SHOWERS, FREEZING RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 5/10/79.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N842JW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F
- 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 19790508032589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790508032589A), May 8, 1979: Mooney M20F, El Morro, NM, Destroyed, 1 fatal. VFR plt proceeded into area of low ceil, icing & turbulence at night in mountainous terrain. Hit trees.

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.