Mooney M20C N7850V

Summary

On 16 March 1992 at about 04:28 local time, a Mooney M20C registered N7850V, operated by Brown, Stephen F., was involved in an accident near Redding, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 March 1992 at 04:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Redding, California, United States

Coordinates

40.6796, -122.2499

Aircraft

Mooney M20C

Registration

N7850V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Brown, Stephen F.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oakland → Renton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX92FA141

2 people died.

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR AND AIR FILTER ICING, AND, THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER/ICING CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE TWO INSTRUMENT RATED PILOTS DEPARTED FOR A NIGHT IFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT INTO FORCAST ICING CONDITIONS IN A CARBURATED MOONEY M20C. THE PILOTS RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS IN WHICH THEY WERE ADVISED OF LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICING CONDITIONS FROM THE 6,000 FOOT FREEZING LEVEL TO 18,000. THE OWNER PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT HELD A COMMERCIAL AND INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANES. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOTS CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND. THEY WERE CRUISING AT 12,000 FEET. THEY REPORTED EXPERIENCING LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS IN A RADIO EXCHANGE TO FSS. THE PILOT REQUESTED A CLIMB TO 14,000 FEET, AND, DURING THE CLIMB, REQUESTED A DESCENT BACK TO 12,000 FEET. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE STATED THAT HE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TOWARD THE TWO AIRPORTS IN REDDING. TEN MINUTES INTO THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE STILL IMC BUT 'THE ICINGS MELTED OFF.' DURING THE DESCENT THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NO ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES ABOUT 1.6 MILES FROM THE BENTON REDDING AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT APPROVED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.