Mooney M20F accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, September 24, 1983
On September 24, 1983 at about 1:11 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9464V, was destroyed in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1983 · about 1:11 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9464V · no longer on the register · serial 700039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A WITNESS NOTICED THE ACFT IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE AT LOW ALT AND SLOW AIRSPEED. HE SAID THE PLANE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE LEFT WING DIPPED. THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND DIVED TO THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY EXCEPT THAT THE BAGGAGE DOOR LOCKING PINS WERE UNLATCHED. THE LATCHING MECHANISM WAS CAPABLE OF OPERATION. THERE WERE NO RADIO CALLS TO INDICATE TROUBLE. HOWEVER THE PLT DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR COMPLY WITH THE TOWER CALL AFTER TAKEOFF TO TURN RIGHTCONTACT DEPARTURE. THE ACFT CRASHED ONE MINUTE LATER.
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: 794 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,302 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LHU Lake Havasu AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34R, 9,596 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from SLC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.