Mooney M20K accident near Aspen, Colorado, September 20, 1987
On September 20, 1987 at about 6:18 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N6874U, was destroyed in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Sardy Field). 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 20, 1987 · about 6:18 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Sardy Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N6874U · no longer on the register · serial 2578
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY PLEASURE FLT THE ACFT ENGINE FAILED APX FOUR MILES SHORT OF THE DEST APRT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD.
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: 138 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 68 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,921 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 1987; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wheatridge Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: SJC Broomfield CO at 4:30 pm
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:20 pm from ASE, 4 miles away
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.
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.