Mooney M20C N6670R

Summary

On 15 November 1987 at about 19:27 local time, a Mooney M20C registered N6670R, operated by Renato & Glenda Ricci, was involved in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

15 November 1987 at 19:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Grand Canyon Natl Park (GCN)

Coordinates

36.0300, -112.0201

Aircraft

Mooney M20C

Registration

N6670R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Renato & Glenda Ricci

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sedona → Death Valley

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88FA042

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

WHILE CRUISING EN ROUTE ALL ENGINE POWER WAS SUDDENLY LOST AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LDG AT THE GRAND CANYON ARPT. DURING THE GLIDE, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO AN OUTCROP OF ROCKS ON A STEEP CLIFF, 0.5 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY. EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE #3 CONNECTING ROD BOLT NUTS HAD BACKED OFF THE BOLT, AND OTHER NUT HAD BEEN PARTIALLY STRIPPED OFF ITS BOLT. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR 212 HRS SMOH. LAB EXAM OF THE BOLT/NUT INTERFACE INDICATED THAT THE NUTS HAD BEEN UNDERTORQUED WHEN THEY WERE LAST INSTALLED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.