Mooney M20E accident near Canon City, Colorado, June 16, 1999
On June 16, 1999 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N9355M, was destroyed in an accident near Canon City, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's poor judgement due to his intentional and continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors were the existing weather conditions that included clouds and obscuration.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1999 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Canon City, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9355M · no longer on the register · serial 1287
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the pilot flew towards the west and determined that a VFR departure in that area was not possible. He then headed towards the southeast paralleling the east side of the mountains. After turning around, he thought he observed a break in the clouds and attempted a VFR climb. The aircraft then entered the clouds. He continued to climb while in instrument conditions and shortly thereafter, the aircraft impacted upsloping, mountainous terrain at an elevation of 8,500 feet. The wings were sheared off during the impact sequence, the fuselage was crushed and broken into several sections, and the tail was bent 90 degrees to the left. Weather conditions near the accident were reported as overcast ceilings at 3,400 feet agl. A pilot who was performing a GPS approach into the airport near the time of the accident reported the ceilings to be 600 feet overcast at the airport.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 690 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 4,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V6 CO at 2:15 pm
- Destination: RIL Rifle CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from PUB, 35 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.