- Date
- June 9, 1983, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Death Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3894HMooney M20J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830609024589A
- Case key
- 23461
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
The plt initiated his takeoff from the Death Valley arpt at about 1530 hrs on a hot day. Subsequently, the acft collidedwith trees on the left side of the rwy & crashed. An investigation revealed that the acft had angled to the left prior to reaching the 1000 ft marker. Depressions located left of the rwy indicated that the acft had become airborne, departed the rwy, then struck the ground 1036 ft from the apch end of rwy 15. The acft became airborne again, continued to the left & struck an 18 inch mound of dirt, 1125 ft from the apch end of the rwy. Again, the acft became airborne & struck 2 mesquite trees, then crashed & came to rest 1380 ft from the apch end of rwy 15, and 230 ft east of the rwy centerline. According to the plt, he did not look at the airspeed indicator during the takeoff roll. It was his habit to 'go by feel.' The wind had been erratic, but was light to non-existent most of the day. Previously, his left leg had been amputated below the knee & he had an artificial leg. His plt certificate was based on his british license.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3894H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-0979
- Airframe hours
- 80
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Performance Aircraft, Inc.
- Registered owner
- William G. & Barbara S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 13, 1983 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- L06
- Destination
- VYN · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- LO6 · Death Valley, runway 15, 3,300 × 70 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 390 in this make and model · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DRO, 50 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.