Mooney M20J accident near Teddys Peak, Colorado, September 13, 2012
On September 13, 2012 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1988 Mooney M20J, registered N58119, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Teddys Peak, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue flight into deteriorating weather conditions, including fog and mountain obscuration, and his failure to maintain clearance with known rising terrain along the route of flight, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2012 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Teddys Peak, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J, built 1988 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N58119 · no longer on the register · serial 24-1646
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Radar data showed the airplane heading south after departure from the airport, turning to the southwest then west, and steadily climbing over rising mountainous terrain. The last radar target, about 2.8 miles east of the accident site, showed the airplane in a slow climb, about 11,200 feet mean sea level (msl), heading west. There were no witnesses to the accident and no reported distress calls from the airplane. A search was started when the airplane did not arrive at its destination, and 2 days later, the airplane was located about 300 feet below the top of a 12,300-foot ridgeline. Postaccident examination revealed ground scars and damage to the airplane indicating that it impacted the ground relatively flat and wings-level on an upslope heading, which is consistent with it being in a wings-level climb. No preimpact anomalies were discovered with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest weather reporting station was located at the departure airport about 65 miles northeast of the accident site, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of departure. Because the accident occurred in a remote area in rugged mountainous terrain, the precise weather conditions at the time could not be determined. However, hikers who were in the area of the accident site about the time of the accident reported dense fog and cloud obscuration along the ridgelines on the airplane's flightpath. These observations suggest that the airplane encountered deteriorating weather conditions once it climbed above 11,000 feet msl. Further, these observations, combined with the physical evidence indicating the airplane was in a wings-level climb at impact, are consistent with the pilot continuing flight into clouds and/or fog and losing visual contact with the terrain, resulting in the airplane impacting the slope in controlled flight.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Obscuration › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,125 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,865 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Occuhealth INC
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo CO at 2:30 pm
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.51 inHg
- Observation at 9:06 pm from PUB, 65 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.