Mooney M20A accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, December 25, 1982
On December 25, 1982 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20A, registered N8130E, was destroyed in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona (Gila Bend airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- December 25, 1982 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gila Bend, Arizona · Gila Bend
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N8130E · no longer on the register · serial 1402
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT LANDED AT GILA BEND WITH A GENERATOR PROBLEM. WHILE ON THE GROUND FOR APPOXIMATELY 2 HRS, THE PLT FLASHED THE GENERATOR FIELD & WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A POSITIVE AMMETER READING. HE THEN TOOK OFF DOWNWIND & CRASHED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT WAS UNAWARE HE WAS TAKING OFF DOWNWIND.
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: 125 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,039 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Gila Bend AZ at 12:39 pm
- Destination: SAN San Diego CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 136°F (58°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:47 pm from PHX, 43 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.