- Date
- September 20, 1987, 12:18 local (18:18 UTC)
- Place
- Aspen, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6874UMooney M20K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870920058969A
- Case key
- 17313
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequateCause
Refueling - not performedCause
Forced landing
Terrain condition - rough/uneven
Analysis
While on a cross country pleasure flt the acft engine failed apx four miles short of the dest aprt. A forced landing was made in a field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6874U
- Reported as
- Mooney M20K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2578
- Airframe hours
- 3,921
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wheatridge Flying Club
- Registered owner
- John F. Sort
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 1987 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- SJC · Broomfield, CO
- Destination
- ASE · Aspen, CO
- Airport
- ASE · Sardy Field
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 138 total · 3 in this make and model · 68 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ASE, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6874U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.