Mooney M20J accident near Paradise Valley, Arizona, February 4, 1982
On February 4, 1982 at about 5:20 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N11578, was destroyed in an accident near Paradise Valley, Arizona (Sky Harbor Intl Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- February 4, 1982 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Paradise Valley, Arizona · Sky Harbor Intl Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N11578 · no longer on the register · serial 24-1263
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PICKED UP THE NEW AIRCRAFT FROM THE FACTORY AT KERRVILLE, TEXAS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS FERRYING THE PLANE TO HIS HOME IN NEW JERSEY BY WAY OF LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. HE DECLINED AN OFFER TO BE CHECKED OUT IN THE PLANE AND DEPARTED KERRVILLE AT ABOUT 1700 CST. ABOUT FIVE HOURS LATER, HE LANDED AT PHOENIX, ARIZONA AND REFUELED. HE DEPARTED PHOENIX AT ABOUT 2212 ON A MOONLESS NIGHT. DURING DEPARTURE FROM THE STAGE III TRSA, THE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE NORMAL UNTIL RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AT 2217 MST. AT 2220 MST, THE PLANE CRASHED ABOUT SEVEN MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT. A NON-RATED WITNESS WITH ABOUT 35 HOURS FLIGHT TRAINING REPORTED THAT THE PLANE CRASHED WHILE IN A SPIN. THE WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE UNTIL IMPACT. RADAR TRACK DATA VERIFIED THAT THE GROUND SPEED SLOWED FROM 111 KNOTS TO THE SEVENTIES WITH EXCURSIONS TO THE SIXTIES BEFORE A RAPID DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH LITTLE OR NO FORWARD MOVEMENT. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED NO FAILURE.
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: 238 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 166 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Afro Venture INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Paradise Valley AZ at 10:45 pm
- Destination: Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 227° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 124°F (51°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from PHX, 10 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.