LAX86LA312

NTSB accident investigation · Mooney M20F · Cloverdale, CA · July 5, 1986

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 5, 1986, 10:20 local (17:20 UTC)
Place
Cloverdale, CA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N6762VMooney M20F
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19860705048039A
Case key
25226

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.

Altitude deviation,uncontrolledCruise
Weather condition - turbulenceFactor
Weather condition - downdraftFactor
Weather evaluation - not performedPilot in commandCause
Airspeed - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - performedPilot in commandFactor
Throttle/power control - not usedPilot in commandCause
Altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectDescent - uncontrolled
Object - wire,static
Visual lookout - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Clearance - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The acft collided with wires following a loss of control. The plt indicated that he was following a river at 1,500 ft MSL at a slow airspeed when the stall warning sounded. The plt stated that he lowered the nose in a downdraft and recovered close to the ground. The river elevation is aprx 4OO ft MSL in the vicinity of the accident site. The acft descended aprx 1100 ft prior to the collision with the wires. The plt also indicated the winds were from the nw at 20 KTS gusting to 30 KTS and that the turbulence was severe. The FAA advisory circular 61-21A, entitled 'flight training handbook' states, 'the pilot must promptly recognize the indications of an imminent stall and take timely, positive control action to prevent a full stall. Performance is unsatisfactory if a full stall occurs, if an excessively low pitch attitude is attained, or if the pilot fails to take timely action to avoid excessive loss of altitude'.

Aircraft

Registration
N6762V
Reported as
Mooney M20F
Category
Airplane
Serial number
700057
Airframe hours
3,354
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Vincent K. Kelly
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · May 20, 1986 · 20 hours before
Departed
STS · Santa Monica, CA
Destination
UKI · Ukiah, CA

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
55
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
750 total · 600 in this make and model · 650 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
315° at 20 knots, gusting 30
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.