# NTSB OAK79FA026: Mooney M20E, N3394X, Mercury, NV, April 24, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: April 24, 1979
- Place: Mercury, NV · MERCURY, NV
- Location: 36.6605° N, 115.9945° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mercury, NV, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6605&lon=-115.9945&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report June 4, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 136589
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK79FA026
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK79FA026

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0748  79/4/24  NR.MERCURY,NV         MOONEY M20E         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 2330                    N3394X              PX-  0  1  0  BUSINESS                  AGE 56, 3005 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            264 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - DESERT ROCK
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          LAS VEGAS,NV               MERCURY,NV
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           UNDERSHOOT                                               LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - PILOT FATIGUE
        REMARKS- PLT STATED WORKING LONG HRS FOR 10 DAYS PRIOR TO FLT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3394X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3394X-2012-04-11), registration cancelled 2012-04-11, S/N 1103, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20E
- Registry model: [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e) (registry code 5870212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Desert Rock

## 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 19790424009519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790424009519A), Apr 24, 1979: Mooney M20C, Mercury, NV, Destroyed. Pilot misjudged altitude and distance from runway on base leg,struck hill. Factors,fatigue and darkness.

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.