Mooney M20J accident near Rialto, California, May 31, 1985
On May 31, 1985 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N3721H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rialto, California (Rialto Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- May 31, 1985 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Rialto, California · Rialto Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N3721H · no longer on the register · serial 24-1040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE CONCLUSION OF A NEARLY 5 HOURS LONG NON STOP FLIGHT FROM NM TO CA, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT AN UNCONTROLL-ED AIRPORT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S FINALAPPROACH SPEED WAS EXCESSIVE, AND AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHEDDOWN IT BOUNCED OFF ITS NOSE WHEEL AND STALLED. THE SECOND BOUNCE WAS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT AS BEING VERY HARD AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ABOUT 249 FEET BEYOND THE POINT WHERE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 524 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 404 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 900 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 26, 1984; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Martin Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 1:35 pm
- Destination: L67 Rialto CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:20 am
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.