Mooney M20F accident near Willits, California, February 17, 2006
On February 17, 2006 at about 4:30 am local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9704M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willits, California (Willits airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain visual contact with the runway at night, which resulted in a descent below the proper glide path and a collision with a tree. Also causal was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2006 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Willits, California · Willits · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9704M · no longer on the register · serial 670264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a tree on short final after the pilot inadvertently entered a low-lying area of ground fog and lost visual contact with the runway. The pilot was not current for night flights and hired a certified flight instructor (CFI) to assist in the night flight. The pilot activated the pilot controlled medium intensity runway edge lights over the common traffic advisory frequency. While the flight was on final approach, the airplane inadvertently entered an area of low-lying ground fog and descended too low. The CFI applied full power but the airplane impacted a tree with the right wing.
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: 254 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 177 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,554 hours in all; 856 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,027.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 43.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMF Sacramento CA at 2:46 am
- Destination: O28 Willits CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 am from UKI, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.