Mooney M20J accident near Avalon, California, January 30, 1982
On January 30, 1982 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4510H, was destroyed in an accident near Avalon, California (Santa Catalina airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1982 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · Santa Catalina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4510H · no longer on the register · serial 24 0754
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON TOUCHDOWN AT SANTA CATALINA AIRPORT SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE TRIM WAS STUCK. AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED MIDFIELD THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. DURING CLIMBOUT WHILE PASSING THROUGH 1700 FEET THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE SMELLED SOMETHING ELECTRICAL BURNING. THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER AT THIS POINT AND WAS DITCHED GEAR-UP IN THE OCEAN. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN APPROXIMATELY 200 FOOT DEEP WATERS AND HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED.
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
- Flight time: 1,086 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 653 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,331 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 7 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: SDM San Diego CA at 9:45 am
- Destination: 075 Deer Park WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 am from AVX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4510H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.