- Date
- June 3, 2000, 07:19 local (14:19 UTC)
- Place
- Upland, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9207VMooney M20F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000603006899A
- Case key
- 49342
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain directional control of the aircraft on takeoff after the cabin door became ajar.
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.
Analysis
The airplane veered off the runway and came to rest in a ditch during takeoff. The pilot reported that the cabin door came open during takeoff. He intended to continue the takeoff and return to land and close the door; however, the passenger in the right front seat distracted him. In the time necessary to calm and reassure the passenger, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft and it drifted off the runway to the left. The nearest aviation surface weather observation, at an airport 6 miles away, was reporting calm wind conditions.
Factual narrative
On June 3, 2000, at 0719 hours Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N9207V, was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway and came to rest in a ditch during takeoff at Cable Airport, Upland, California. The personal flight, operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91, was destined for Jean, Nevada. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. One other passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that the cabin door came open during takeoff on runway 24 (3,865 feet long x 75 feet wide). He intended to continue the takeoff and return to land and close the door; however, the passenger in the right front seat distracted him. In the time necessary to calm and reassure the passenger, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft and it drifted off the runway to the left.
The aviation surface weather observation at the Ontario, California, airport (6 miles southeast of Cable) was reporting calm wind conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9207V
- Reported as
- Mooney M20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 690055
- Airframe hours
- 2,089
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bruce A. Cunningham
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 9, 2000 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- CCB
- Destination
- OL7 · Jean, NV
- Airport
- CCB · Cable, runway 24, 3,865 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 50 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 142 °F, dew point 126 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ONT, 6 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.