Mooney M20K accident near Cheyenne, Wyoming, July 27, 2000
On July 27, 2000 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N252KD, was destroyed in an accident near Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the airplane's in-flight collision with hilly terrain for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2000 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cheyenne, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252KD · no longer on the register · serial 25-1191
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single-engine airplane impacted terrain just below the peak of a 100-foot ridge, cleared the ridge, and descended into the valley located on the opposite side of the ridge from the initial impact. A post-crash fire burned the airplane along with approximately 4,000 acres of grass and brush. There were no witnesses to the accident and no distress calls were received from the commercial pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No anomalies were noted during examination of the aircraft, and the propeller displayed evidence of engine power at the time of impact.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 445 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,725.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-MB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from CHY, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.