Mooney M20F N3768N

Summary

On 23 August 1995 at about 16:17 local time, a Mooney M20F registered N3768N, operated by Flight Training Center, Inc., was involved in an accident near Red Cliff, Colorado, 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

23 August 1995 at 16:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Red Cliff, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.5006, -106.3610

Aircraft

Mooney M20F

Registration

N3768N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Flight Training Center, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Leadville → Watkins

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA359

2 people died.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT CREW, AND THEIR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN, THE FLIGHT CREW'S LACK OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN THEIR PERSONAL ABILITIES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

TWO FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS TOLD THE AIRPLANE OPERATOR THAT THEY PLANNED TO MAKE A LOCAL FLIGHT, AND THEY RESERVED THE AIRPLANE FOR FLIGHT ON THE NEXT DAY. BEFORE FLIGHT, THEY TOLD AN AIRPORT RECEPTIONIST AND A FRIEND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. THEY DEPARTED WATKINS, COLORADO AT 0800. AT ABOUT 0930, THEY LANDED AT LEADVILLE AIRPORT, THE HIGHEST AIRPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. SHORTLY AFTER 1000, TWO WITNESSES SAW AN AIRPLANE FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE INTO THE PEARL CREEK DRAINAGE. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE 10,800 FOOT LEVEL. THE AREA WAS SURROUNDED BY THREE MOUNTAIN PEAKS (12,365 FEET, 12,693 FEET, AND 12,247 FEET). A CRATER WAS FOUND WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD CRASHED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 45 FEET FROM THE CRATER. THE PROPELLER BLADES HAD CURLED TIPS AND CHORDWISE SCRATCHES, INDICATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS PROVIDING POWER DURING IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF BOTH PILOTS' LOGBOOKS DISCLOSED NO DOCUMENTATION OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE AND NO RECORD OF HAVING RECEIVED A MOUNTAIN FLYING CHECKOUT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.