Mooney M20C accident near Mariposa, California, September 18, 1984
On September 18, 1984 at about 2:52 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6406U, was destroyed in an accident near Mariposa, California (Mariposa-Yosemite airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- September 18, 1984 · about 2:52 am local time
- Place
- Mariposa, California · Mariposa-Yosemite · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6406U · no longer on the register · serial 2153
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE & TELEPHONE POLE DURING A GO-AROUND MANEUVER ON RWY 26. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT EXITED THE LEFT SIDE OF RWY 26 ABOUT 1625 FT BEYOND THE THRESHOLD. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT A GROUND WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT LANDED NORMALLY BUT THAT AS THE ACFT REACHED MID-FIELD, THE ENG SOUND 'INCREASED', FOLLOWED BY TWO 'THUD' SOUNDS & A FIREBALL. A PLT, WHO LANDED 15 MINS AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORTED 90 DEG X-WIND PREVAILED & STATED 'IT TOOK MAXIMUM DEFLECTION OF THE CONTROL SURFACES TO KEEP THE ACFT ALIGNED WITH THE RWY CENTERLINE.' THE MAX DEMONSTRATED X-WIND COMPONENT FOR THE ACCIDENT ACFT WAS 17 KTS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 17 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.