# NTSB MKC71AK040: Mooney M20E, N9273V, Rapid City, SD, January 18, 1971

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: January 18, 1971
- Place: Rapid City, SD · RAPID CITY, SD
- Location: 44.0805° N, 103.2310° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Rapid City, SD, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0805&lon=-103.2310&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report October 19, 1971
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 159423
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MKC71AK040
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC71AK040

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0155  71/1/18    RAPID CITY,S DAK    MOONEY M20E         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 34, 670
        TIME - 1742                    N9273V              PX-  0  0  0  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, 627 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - RAPID CITY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MARSHFIELD,WIS              RAPID CITY,S DAK
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED ALTITUDE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  400
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          3 MILES OR LESS                                          SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      19
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          130                                                       7
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      SPECIAL VFR
        REMARKS- BTWN ELLSWORTH AFB AND RAPID CTY MUN RPTD ALT 3300FT.HIT UPSLOPE OF 3365FT HILL ABT 15FT BLO CREST
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9273V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9273V-1971-08-12), registration cancelled 1971-08-12, S/N 690061 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20E
- Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Rapid City

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.