- Date
- September 22, 1983, 08:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Patterson, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N231GJMooney M20K
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830922050729A
- Case key
- 23517
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
During a x-country flt, the acft crashed into rising terrain in a semi-box canyon in the diablo range. The crash site was at an elevation of aprx 1200 ft MSL. The canyon tops ranged from 1500 to 1700 ft. according to a farmer residing 2 mi west of the accident site at 200 ft MSL, the 0830 PDT wx was foggy & rainy, mountain tops obscured, winds gusty from the northwest. The impact occurred on steep terrain with an estimated upward slope of 60 deg. No preimpact/mechanical failures were found. The plt was instrument rated, but did not file a flt plan. No record was found of a preflt wx briefing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N231GJ
- Reported as
- Mooney M20K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-0234
- Airframe hours
- 469
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360GB, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James C. Mcgladdery
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 1982 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- 103 · Lodi, CA
- Destination
- VIS · Visalia, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,836 total · 1,285 in this make and model · 1,756 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.