Mooney M20A accident near Marysvale, Utah, August 9, 2002
On August 9, 2002 at about 1:50 am local time, a Mooney M20A, registered N1088B, was destroyed in an accident near Marysvale, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's poor in-flight decision to fly so close to the ridge (looking for animals). Contributing factors were the mountainous terrain condition, the downdraft weather conditions in high mountains, and the high density altitude weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2002 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Marysvale, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N1088B · no longer on the register · serial 1314
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was found on a mountain ridge (elevation 11,814 feet; oriented 330 degrees) approximately 800 feet from a mountain peak (elevation 12,175). Family members said that the pilot commonly flew near the ridge "looking for animals." Two men camping nearby said that the wind was out of the west at 10 to 15 knots, with gusts over 20 knots, at the time of the accident. The density altitude was calculated to be 14,668 feet.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,265 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2000; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIF Richfield UT at 1:30 am
- Destination: AZC Colorado City AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from MLF, 280 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.