Mooney M20C accident near Watsonville, California, August 31, 2003
On August 31, 2003 at about 3:05 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N707JH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, California (Watsonville Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the non-instrument rated pilot's intentional continuance of VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain clearance with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2003 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · Watsonville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N707JH · no longer on the register · serial 2651
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees and terrain while the pilot was searching for the airport in instrument metrological conditions (IMC). Prior to departure, the non-instrument rated pilot programmed the flight's intended route into the moving map display of the onboard global positioning system (GPS), as a means to navigate. After passing over mountains located to the east of the airport, the pilot observed the ground to be obscured by fog. The pilot continued further west, maneuvering the airplane over Monterey bay and then circled back to the east toward the airport. While en route, the pilot was searching for the lights on the golf driving range, located about 1/2 mile west of the airport. He was unable to see the lights, and the airplane impacted mountainous terrain, coming to rest in an oak tree. Several minutes before the accident weather reports indicated overcast ceilings of 300 feet above ground level with a visibility of 7 miles.
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: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAE Madera CA at 2:30 am
- Destination: WVI Watsonville CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from WVI, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.