- Date
- December 25, 1982, 12:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Gila Bend, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8130EMooney M20A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 25, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821225066849A
- Case key
- 70826
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.
Analysis
While en route, the plt landed at Gila Bend with a generator problem. While on the ground for appoximately 2 hrs, the plt flashed the generator field & was able to obtain a positive ammeter reading. He then took off downwind & crashed immediately after takeoff. The plt was unaware he was taking off downwind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8130E
- Reported as
- Mooney M20A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1402
- Airframe hours
- 3,039
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George Wesley Epps, Jr.
- Registered owner
- David F. Miller
- Departed
- Gila Bend, AZ
- Destination
- SAN · San Diego, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- Gila Bend, runway 22, 3,800 × 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 125 total · 11 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Temperature
- 136 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHX, 43 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 N8130E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.