Mooney M20F accident near Torrington, Wyoming, July 14, 1990
On July 14, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N6456Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Torrington, Wyoming (Torrington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST VALVE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Torrington, Wyoming · Torrington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6456Q · registry record · serial 670535
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT TOOK OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB. HE SAID THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE PRODUCING ONLY PARTIAL POWER. HE TURNED BACK TO THE RUNWAY, BUT LOST ALTITUDE, DRAGGED ONE WING ON THE TERRAIN, AND LANDED ACROSS THE 75 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY. THE PLANE CROSSED THE RUNWAY, A TAXIWAY, SKIDDED UP A HILL AND CAME TO REST. THE FUSELAGE, BOTH WINGS, THE NOSE GEAR AND LEFT MAIN GEAR WERE DAMAGED. A POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE IN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 1,440 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: B & L Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TOR at 8:30 pm
- Destination: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 5,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN90LA164.