Mooney M20K accident near Medicine Bow, Wyoming, March 28, 1999
On March 28, 1999 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N12HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medicine Bow, Wyoming (Medicine Bow 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A fluctuating turbine inlet temperature and resulting loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were the rough, unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1999 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Medicine Bow, Wyoming · Medicine Bow Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N12HW · registry record · serial 25-0557
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon reaching 23,000 feet msl, the pilot leaned the engine's turbine inlet temperature (TIT). About 5 to 10 minutes later, the TIT started rising. He requested and received a clearance to descend to 17,000 feet. The TIT continued to climb, and he requested another descent to 12,000 and reduced power. At that time, the 'engine started to run very rough, popping and spitting and not developing any power.' He requested assistance for vectors to the closest airport. After locating the airport, he observed a tractor positioned in the middle of the runway, and selected a field 1/4 mile east of the airport on which to land. The aircraft landed hard, damaging the right wing and landing gear. Several postaccident examinations of the engine were performed. Fuel was observed in the engine and the fuel tanks and was present in each of the fuel injector nozzles. The fuel boost pump was turned off and the engine surged. The engine driven fuel pump was bench and flow tested, and no discrepancies were observed. A replacement turbocharger was installed on the engine and test run, and the engine continued to run rough and surge. Nothing was found during the investigation to determine what caused the loss of engine power.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,486 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB83 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 8:15 pm
- Destination: OMA Omaha NE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.