# NTSB LAX91FA190: Mooney M20F, N9624M, Quincy, CA, May 2, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: May 2, 1991, 12:33 local (19:33 UTC)
- Place: Quincy, CA
- Coordinates: 39.959609, -121.000656 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9596&lon=-121.0007&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 8, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 26996
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX91FA190
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/26996/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX91FA190

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC AND THEREAFTER HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION WHICH RESULTED IN HIS DELAYED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, DISORIENTATION AFTER ENTERING CLOUDS AND RAIN, AND TO HIS LACK OF RECENT FLYING EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE MODEL OF AIRPLANE.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - light condition - daylight
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather evaluation - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - emergency procedure - delayed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight encounter with weather, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - lightning
- Loss of control - in flight, descent - uncontrolled
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of recent experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PLT PLANNED A NONSTOP FLT FM WA TO CA, & HE RECD PREFLT WEATHER BRIEFINGS SHOWING GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS. ENROUTE, THE PLT AMENDED HIS ROUTE & LANDED AT KLAMATH FALLS, OR.  DURING ROLLOUT THE ACFT NEARLY VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY.  THE PLT TOLD ATC HE NEEDED A REST STOP & HE HAD HAD A FLAP PROBLEM.  WITNESSES REPORTED THE PLT LOOKED "NERVOUS, UNDECIDED & BEWILDERED."  THE PLT CONTINUED HIS S-BND CIRCLING ROUTE OF FLT WHICH PLACED TEH ACFT OVER THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERRA NEVADA MTNS AT ELE OVER 7000 FT MSL. 40 MI WEST LAY THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CA, ELE 300 FT MSL.  WHILE CRUISING AT 13,000 FT THE PLT REVERSED COURSE & DISAPPEARED FM RADAR.  THE ACFT CRASHED INVERTED INTO 4900 FT MSL TERRAIN, ABT 1.5 FM ITS LAST RADAR POSITION.  WITNESSES REPORTED IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY & LIGHTNING WAS VISIBLE.  THE PLT HAD NOT LOGGED ANY INST FLT TIME IN 19 YRS.  HIS TOTAL TIME WAS 88 HRS.  HIS TOTAL PIC TIME IN THE ACFT (WHICH HE HAD PURCHASED 3 WKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT) WAS 0.5 HRS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9624M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9624M-1991-06-25), registration cancelled 1991-06-25, S/N 670201 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20F
- Registry model: [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f) (registry code 5870214) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: M20F
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: James I./Michele G. Johnson
- Registered owner: James I./Michele G. Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Unknown, January 2, 2000
- Departed: LMT, KLAMATH FALLS, OR
- Destination: MOD, MODESTO, CA
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; toxicology performed; flight hours: 88 total, 8 in this make and model, 46 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19910502014069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910502014069A), May 2, 1991: Mooney M20F, Quincy, CA, Destroyed, 4 fatal. Continued flight into area of buildups,heavy rain. Lost control,impacted ground near vertical. High speed.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.