Mooney M20F accident near La Junta, Colorado, September 30, 1983
On September 30, 1983 at about 7:24 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3280F, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Junta, Colorado (La Junta Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 30, 1983 · about 7:24 pm local time
- Place
- La Junta, Colorado · La Junta Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3280F · registry record · serial 670373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT STALLED INTO THE GROUND DURING A TAKEOFF IN WINDY CONDITIONS. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 210 DEGREES AT 22 KTS GUSTING TO 28 KTS. THE PLT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE FSS AND KNEW A STRONG CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT WAS PRESENT. HE USED RUDDER BUT NO AILERON DURING TAKEOFF. HE SAID THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AT 70 MPH AND AT 10 FT IN THE AIR'A GUST OR SHEAR' HIT THE ACFT. THE PLANE TURNED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, LOST AIRSPEED AND SETTLED TO THE GROUND. THE LEFT WING MADE GROUND CONTACT FIRST. THE ACFT SLID ACROSS A DITCH AND CAME TO REST 60 FT FROM THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE RWY.THE FAA FLT TRAINING HANDBOOK STATES THAT FULL AILERON SHOULD BE HELD INTO THE WIND AS TAKEOFF STARTS. THIS POSITION IS HELD UNTIL SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED IS OBTAINED AND THEN USED AS REQUIRED TO KEEP WINGS LEVEL. TAKEOFF POWER CREATED TORQUE OR P-FACTOR WHICH YAWS THE ACFT TO THE LEFT AND A WIND FROM THE LEFT MAY AGGREVATE THE LEFT TURNING TENDENCY.
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: 79 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 49 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1983; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,844 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 210° at 22 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:24 pm from LHX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N3280F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.