Mooney M20C N3456X
18 September 1989 · Neihart, Montana, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 18 September 1989 at about 13:22 local time, a Mooney M20C registered N3456X was involved in an accident near Neihart, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:22
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Neihart, Montana, United States
- Coordinates
- 46.8895, -110.7200
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C
- Registration
- N3456X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hardin → Lewiston
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN89LA221
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE HIGH TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT 14,500 FEET WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS. HE DESCENDED TO 12,500 FEET AND THEN TO 11,000 FEET IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE WEATHER. HE STATED 'I DESCENDED DOWN TO ELEVEN THOUSAND AND THE TREES CAME RIGHT UP ON ME. I WAS VFR, DIDN'T FILE A FLIGHT PLAN . . .' ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS 9175 FEET.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Mooney M20C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul 1989 | Mooney M20C | Stormville, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1989 | Mooney M20C | Hesperia, California, United States | Prinzing, Rick | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jul 1989 | Mooney M20C | Marietta, Georgia, United States | Wayne B. Crutchley | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1989 | Mooney M20C | Fouke, Arkansas, United States | Moore, Clinton H. | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jul 1988 | Mooney M20C | Olathe, Kansas, United States | Gerald D. Hammon | No injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 1988 | Mooney M20C | E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States | Gidon Przysucha | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jan 1989 | Piper PA-18-150 | Medicine Lake, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 1989 | Aeronca 7AC | Wolf Point, Montana, United States | Nickels, Stephen A | No injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 1989 | Poehls BOBCAT | Billings, Montana, United States | Poehls, William B. | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Mar 1989 | Piper PA-18-150 | Great Falls, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 1989 | Cessna A188B | Rapelje, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 1989 | Cessna 170A | Kalispell, Montana, United States | Westphal, Terry R. | No injuries | - |