Mooney M20K N231WD
12 May 1994 · Ventura, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 May 1994 at about 15:25 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231WD was involved in an accident near Ventura, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 15:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ventura, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.2698, -119.1608
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K
- Registration
- N231WD
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Camarillo → Sedona
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94FA217
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CREW TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE FIRST PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO ASSURE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT SEAT BY REFERENCE TO THE INSTRUMENTS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE LEFT SEAT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOTS DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLIGHT WITH CLEARANCE TO CLIMB TO VFR CONDITIONS ON TOP. THE TOPS OF THE CLOUDS WERE REPORTED AT 2500 FEET. THE PERSON IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT HELD AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND WAS PRESUMED TO BE THE FIRST PILOT (PIC). THE PERSON IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT WAS ALSO A PILOT, BUT DID NOT POSSESS AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SINGLE SET OF FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS IN FRONT OF THE LEFT SEAT. ACCORDING TO RECORDED RADAR DATA, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REACH AN ALTITUDE WHERE VFR CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED. AT ABOUT 2300 TO 2400 FEET MSL, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A DESCENT, THEN RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WITNESSES HEARD AND SAW THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP DIVE AS IT DESCENDED BELOW THE ESTIMATED 500-FOOT OVERCAST. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20K accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 1994 | Mooney M20K | Applegate, Oregon, United States | Hicks, ROY H. | Fatal | 1 |
| 17 May 1994 | Mooney M20K | Swanton, Ohio, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Dec 1994 | Mooney M20K | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 1995 | Mooney M20K | Roundup, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Oct 1995 | Mooney M20K | Dalton, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1993 | Mooney M20K | Hobart, Indiana, United States | Ronald E. Venema | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-28R-201 | Fort Bragg, California, United States | Sundance Flying Club | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 May 1994 | Schweizer G-164B | Yuba City, California, United States | Sutter Butte Dusters, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Sep 1994 | Cessna T210L | Kettleman City, California, United States | Willie Alves Rodrigues | No injuries | - |
| 13 May 1994 | Maule M-5-235C | Columbia, California, United States | White, James L. | No injuries | - |
| 19 May 1994 | Cessna 150L | Rio Linda, California, United States | Hinckley, Thomas, F. | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Sep 1994 | Robinson R-22 | Chico, California, United States | Sierra Aviation | No injuries | - |