Mooney M20K N3624H

Summary

On 6 August 1983 at about 02:30 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N3624H was involved in an accident near Essex, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 August 1983 at 02:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Essex, California, United States

Coordinates

34.9594, -115.3094

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N3624H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Canyon → Fullerton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83LA468

3 people died.

AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHEN THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, CONCERNED RELATIVES REPORTED IT OVERDUE. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT FOUND DURING THAT SEARCH. HOWEVER, IT WAS LOCATED ON 11/19/91, WHILE A SEARCH WAS BEING MADE FOR ANOTHER AIRPLANE. AN NTSB WEATHER STUDY DISCLOSED THAT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE AIRPLANE HAD STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP, NOSE DOWN, HIGH VELOCITY, RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE GROUND PATH EXTENDED ABOUT 246 FEET WITH DEBRIS SCATTERED ABOUT A 120 DEGREE FAN SHAPED ARC FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT CRATER. ALL OF THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT CONTROLS & MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE FOUND AT THE MAIN WRECKAGE AREA. THE PROPELLER BLADES DISPLAYED EXTENSIVE ENGINE POWER SIGNATURES. THE AUTOPILOT SLIDE SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE ON POSITION AND THE PITCH TRIM WHEEL WAS IN THE MAX UP POSITION. NO PREIMPACT AIRFRAME FAILURE WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.