Mooney M20J accident near Crawford, Colorado, July 19, 1995
On July 19, 1995 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N700CF, was destroyed in an accident near Crawford, Colorado (Crawford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
pilot incapacitation due to preexisting medical condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1995 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Crawford, Colorado · Crawford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N700CF · registry record · serial 24-3342
- 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 flight, after having been en route approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes, the airplane was observed circling a small private airport. The airport was about 130 miles north of the planned route of flight. Witnesses initially observed the airplane circle the airport in an erratic manner at an altitude of 300 to 500 feet. At an altitude of 200 feet above the airport, the airplane rolled left to a bank angle of nearly 90 degrees and descended rapidly to the ground at a fuselage angle of 45 degrees. Investigation revealed the pilot suffered from Parkinson's disease and had an FAA medical certificate with restrictions pertaining to the manifestations of that disease. The investigation also revealed the pilot had severe coronary disease, and possibly temporal lobe, partial, complex psychomotor seizures. No evidence was found of a preimpact aircraft failure or malfunction.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,246 hours in all; 71 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 71 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1994; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L86 Murrieta CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: PHN Port Huron MI
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25, 5,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from MTJ, 26 miles away
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.