Mooney M20F accident near Red Cliff, Colorado, August 23, 1995
On August 23, 1995 at about 4:17 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3768N, was destroyed in an accident near Red Cliff, Colorado. 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
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT CREW, AND THEIR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN, THE FLIGHT CREW'S LACK OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN THEIR PERSONAL ABILITIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1995 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Red Cliff, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3768N · no longer on the register · serial 680112
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS TOLD THE AIRPLANE OPERATOR THAT THEY PLANNED TO MAKE A LOCAL FLIGHT, AND THEY RESERVED THE AIRPLANE FOR FLIGHT ON THE NEXT DAY. BEFORE FLIGHT, THEY TOLD AN AIRPORT RECEPTIONIST AND A FRIEND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. THEY DEPARTED WATKINS, COLORADO AT 0800. AT ABOUT 0930, THEY LANDED AT LEADVILLE AIRPORT, THE HIGHEST AIRPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. SHORTLY AFTER 1000, TWO WITNESSES SAW AN AIRPLANE FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE INTO THE PEARL CREEK DRAINAGE. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE 10,800 FOOT LEVEL. THE AREA WAS SURROUNDED BY THREE MOUNTAIN PEAKS (12,365 FEET, 12,693 FEET, AND 12,247 FEET). A CRATER WAS FOUND WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD CRASHED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 45 FEET FROM THE CRATER. THE PROPELLER BLADES HAD CURLED TIPS AND CHORDWISE SCRATCHES, INDICATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS PROVIDING POWER DURING IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF BOTH PILOTS' LOGBOOKS DISCLOSED NO DOCUMENTATION OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE AND NO RECORD OF HAVING RECEIVED A MOUNTAIN FLYING CHECKOUT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 467 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 28 in the last 30 days; 382 as pilot in command; 207 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Training Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO at 3:30 pm
- Destination: FTG Watkins CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:05 pm from LXV, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.