Mooney M20K accident near Alpine, California, March 18, 1982
On March 18, 1982 at about 2:21 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N231AM, was destroyed in an accident near Alpine, California. 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 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
- March 18, 1982 · about 2:21 am local time
- Place
- Alpine, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N231AM · no longer on the register · serial 25-0080
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER BEING CLEARED FROM 8000 FEET DOWN TO 6000 FEET THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER REALIZED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN TROUBLE WHEN THE MODE C ALTITUDE INDICATED 3600 FEET. HE RECEIVED NO UNDERSTANDABLE RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT WHEN ASKED ABOUT ALTITUDE OR HEADING. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST SHORTLY AFTERWARD. DURING THE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE FSS IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE PILOT LAND SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION TO OBTAIN A WEATHER UPDATE DUE TO FORECAST ICING AND TURBULENCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE IMPACTED AT A NEAR VERTICAL ANGLE WITH NO FORWARD TRAVEL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360GB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from NKX, 20 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.