Mooney M20F accident near Copake, New York, November 11, 2010
On November 11, 2010, a Mooney M20F, registered N6878V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Copake, New York (Walter J Koladza airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to monitor and maintain clearance from mountainous terrain during a visual descent to the destination airport at night, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2010
- Place
- Copake, New York · Walter J Koladza · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6878V · no longer on the register · serial 22-1271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was approaching the destination airport in night visual meteorological conditions, on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The destination airport was at an elevation of 739 feet mean sea level (msl), located in the vicinity of mountainous terrain. About 10 miles from the destination airport, the pilot elected to cancel his IFR clearance. At that time, the airplane was at 3,900 feet msl and began a descent consistent with a 45-degree entry to a left downwind leg of the destination airport traffic pattern, which was 1700 feet msl. About 2 minutes later, the airplane had descended to 2,400 feet and was approximately 1/4 mile from the 2,000-foot summit of a mountain. About 10 seconds later, the airplane had descended to 2,100 feet, about 1,000 feet horizontally from the summit. The airplane impacted trees near the summit and came to rest about 500 feet beyond the initial impact. The summit was approximately 5 miles southwest from the destination airport. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The end of civil twilight occurred about 2 hours prior to the accident. Moonset occurred about 1 hour after the accident and the phase of the moon was waxing crescent with only 22 percent of the moon's visible disc illuminated.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,410 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LPR Elyria OH at 7:50 pm
- Destination: BGR Great Barringto MA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from PSF, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.