Mooney M20J accident near Death Valley, California, June 9, 1983
On June 9, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N3894H, was destroyed in an accident near Death Valley, California (Death Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- June 9, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Death Valley, California · Death Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N3894H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0979
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF FROM THE DEATH VALLEY ARPT AT ABOUT 1530 HRS ON A HOT DAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDEDWITH TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY & CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD ANGLED TO THE LEFT PRIOR TO REACHING THE 1000 FT MARKER. DEPRESSIONS LOCATED LEFT OF THE RWY INDICATED THAT THE ACFT HAD BECOME AIRBORNE, DEPARTED THE RWY, THEN STRUCK THE GROUND 1036 FT FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 15. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN, CONTINUED TO THE LEFT & STRUCK AN 18 INCH MOUND OF DIRT, 1125 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY. AGAIN, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE & STRUCK 2 MESQUITE TREES, THEN CRASHED & CAME TO REST 1380 FT FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 15, AND 230 FT EAST OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE DID NOT LOOK AT THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. IT WAS HIS HABIT TO 'GO BY FEEL.' THE WIND HAD BEEN ERRATIC, BUT WAS LIGHT TO NON-EXISTENT MOST OF THE DAY. PREVIOUSLY, HIS LEFT LEG HAD BEEN AMPUTATED BELOW THE KNEE & HE HAD AN ARTIFICIAL LEG. HIS PLT CERTIFICATE WAS BASED ON HIS BRITISH LICENSE.
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: 400 hours in all; 390 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 13, 1983; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Performance Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L06
- Destination: VYN Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,300 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DRO, 50 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.
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.