- Date
- July 5, 1994, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6959UMooney M20C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940705017299A
- Case key
- 28790
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to obtain the proper takeoff speed. Factors are the high density altitude and the crosswind.
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 pilot attempted a takeoff from a 2100 foot gravel runway with a density altitude of about 4200 feet and a cross wind from the left at 12 knots. The aircraft did not get airborne and collided with a dirt embankment past the departure end of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the aircraft which had just come out of an annual inspection.
Factual narrative
On July 5, 1994, at 0900 hours Pacific daylight time , a Mooney M20C, N6959U, collided with terrain during a takeoff attempt at Voc Tech Airport at Las Vegas, Nevada. The aircraft was operated by the pilot/owner, and was involved in a personal flight. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane was signed off for its annual inspection on the day of the accident. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft hop along the runway but did not get airborne. The aircraft departed the end of a 2100 foot long gravel runway, which is oriented east to west.
The reported weather conditions were clear with a temperature of 87 degrees fahrenheit, and winds from 170 degrees at 12 knots. The air traffic controller advised the pilot that the departure would be at his own risk, and the east boundary winds at McCarran were calm.
The pilot reported no mechanical problems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6959U
- Reported as
- Mooney M20C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2710
- Airframe hours
- 3,300
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cassel, John F.
- Registered owner
- Cassel, John F.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 1994 · 1 hours before
- Airport
- NV26 · Voc Tech
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,015 total · 240 in this make and model · 4,207 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAS, 4 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 N6959U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.