Mooney M20C N6709U

Summary

On 22 July 2013 at about 17:45 local time, a Mooney M20C registered N6709U, operated by Lefton Steven A, was involved in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 2013 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

South Lake Tahoe, California, United States

Nearest airport

South Lake Tahoe (KTVL)

Coordinates

38.8897, -119.9906

Aircraft

Mooney M20C

Registration

N6709U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Lefton Steven A

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

South Lake Tahoe → Palo Alto

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

WPR13FA335

1 person died.

The pilot’s decision to turn into rising terrain that would have required performance in excess of the airplane’s maximum climb rate to clear after taking off at a high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was departing from a high-altitude airport. After liftoff, about midfield on runway 36, the pilot elected to turn right for a downwind departure. After the right turn, the pilot expressed concern to the passenger that the airplane could not outclimb the rapidly rising terrain. The pilot banked left to avoid a tree near the top of a ridge. The right front seat passenger heard the stall warning horn come on, and the airplane descended into the trees, coming to rest inverted on the forest floor. Based on atmospheric conditions and an airport elevation of 6,269 feet, the calculated density altitude was 9,044 feet. According to the airplane's pilot operating handbook, for those conditions, the pilot could expect about a 330- to 490-feet-per-minute (fpm) rate of climb. The best angle-of-climb airspeed was about 82 mph. To clear the ridge ahead (180 feet above the airport elevation, not including trees), which was within 1/4 mile, the airplane would have to maintain a 981-fpm rate of climb, which was not possible given the density altitude at the time of departure. The Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Facility Directory for the departure airport noted that the airport was surrounded on the east, south, and west by rapidly rising terrain. It further noted that for noise abatement the preferred departure runway was 36 and advised pilots to continue straight out for 1 mile before making turns. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.