Mooney M20K N1152T

Summary

On 30 December 1985 at about 02:13 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N1152T, operated by Sunwest Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Des Moines, Washington, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

30 December 1985 at 02:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Des Moines, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.4394, -122.2807

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N1152T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sunwest Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hillsboro → Seatle

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA86FA033

4 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE WEATHER BRIEFER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO CURRENT/FORECAST CONDTIONS. THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT THEN FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN RESPONDING THAT HE WAS IFR RATED AND WOULD FILE INFLIGHT IF NECESSARY. WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT CRUISING NORTHBOUND OVER I-5 AT A MODERATE SPEED AND LOW ALTITUDE BENEATH THE CLOUDS. WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE DESCRIBED AS 300 FOOT CEILING AND 1 MILE VISIBILITY. DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINE 75 FEET ABOVE THE I-5 MEDIAN AND 6 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. IN SPITE OF DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS THE PILOT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DIVERT ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO A MORE FAVORABLE DESTINATION. AN ENTRY REFERRING TO 'SCUD FLYING' WAS NOTED IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.