Mooney M20J accident near Centennial, Wyoming, August 4, 1998
On August 4, 1998 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N5698L, was destroyed in an accident near Centennial, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's disregard of information provided in weather briefs, and his flight into known adverse weather in mountainous terrain which resulted in an in-flight collision with a mountain. Factors were rain and low ceiling/visibility.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1998 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Centennial, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N5698L · registry record · serial 241415
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot was on a visual flight rules cross-country flight in mountainous terrain. The weather conditions were instrument meteorological conditions with the mountain tops obscured by clouds and visibility below the clouds limited by heavy rain. The pilot had received a weather briefing from Flight Service and a weather update from Flight Watch, and in both briefings he was advised that VFR flight was not recommended due to the mountains being obscured by clouds. The aircraft struck a mountainside at 10,400 feet above sea level. Witnesses heard the aircraft but could not see it due to weather conditions. The aircraft disintegrated on impact. After a three day search, the aircraft was located by sheriff's deputies with assistance from the Civil Air Patrol.
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
- Flight time: 230 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,526 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 Longmont CO at 12:14 pm
- Destination: CCR Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from LAR, 30 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.