Mooney M20C accident near Apple Valley, California, March 16, 1985
On March 16, 1985 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N1359W, was involved in an accident near Apple Valley, California (Apple Valley airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- March 16, 1985 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · Apple Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1359W · registry record · serial 2673
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LANDING & TAXIING OFF THE RWY THE ATP CERTIFICATED PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE DESIRED ACFT HANGAR IN WHICH THE ACFT WAS TO BE PARKED. THE PLT & HIS 15-YEAR-OLD PAX OBSERVED A BYSTANDER NEAR THEIR ACFT. THE PLT DIRECTED THE PAX TO EXIT THE ACFT & ASK THE BYSTANDER WHERE THE HANGAR WAS LOCATED. THE PLT FAILED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. THE PAX REPORTED HE EXITED THE ACFT AND WALKED TOWARD THE BYSTANDER USING THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE BECAUSE THE BYSTANDER WAS PREPARING TO ENTER ANOTHER ACFT. THE PAX WALKED ON THE WING, AROUND THE DOOR AND JUMPED OFF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING STRIKING THE WINDMILLING PROPELLER. THE PAX REPORTED THE PLT FAILED TO BRIEF HIM ON THE PROPER WAY TO ENTER AND EXIT THE ACFT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,040 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,950 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,833 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: APV Apple Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.