Mooney M20K accident near Van Nuys, California, May 23, 1983
On May 23, 1983 at about 1:30 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N1150S, was destroyed in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1983 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1150S · registry record · serial MK2025-0621
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS 1 MILE OUT ON THE FINAL APPROACH WHEN THE TOWER ASKED THE PLT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO DOWNWIND. THE REQUESTWAS MADE BECAUSE A C-130 FOLLOWING HAD DECLARED AN EMERGENCY FOR LANDING WITNESSES SAW THE MOONEY M-20 ENTER A RIGHT TURN AND DESCEND. THE ACFT STRUCK A POWER POLE AND EXPLODED INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKED ACFT AND THE PLT SHOWED NO DISCREPANCIES OR FAILURES THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 717 hours in all; 710 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB 4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HHR Hawthorne CA
- Destination: VNY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:31 am from VYN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX83FA241.