Mooney M20F N9704M

Summary

On 17 February 2006 at about 04:30 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N9704M was involved in an accident near Willits, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 2006 at 04:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Willits, California, United States

Nearest airport

Willits (O28)

Coordinates

39.4514, -123.3722

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N9704M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sacramento → Willits

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

LAX06CA118

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain visual contact with the runway at night, which resulted in a descent below the proper glide path and a collision with a tree. Also causal was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted a tree on short final after the pilot inadvertently entered a low-lying area of ground fog and lost visual contact with the runway. The pilot was not current for night flights and hired a certified flight instructor (CFI) to assist in the night flight. The pilot activated the pilot controlled medium intensity runway edge lights over the common traffic advisory frequency. While the flight was on final approach, the airplane inadvertently entered an area of low-lying ground fog and descended too low. The CFI applied full power but the airplane impacted a tree with the right wing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.