Mooney M-20-E accident near Los Banos, California, July 15, 1985
On July 15, 1985, a Mooney M-20-E, registered N6891U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Banos, California (Los Banos Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 15, 1985
- Place
- Los Banos, California · Los Banos Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20-E · all M-20-Es on the register
- Registration
- N6891U · no longer on the register · serial 182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A CEMENT EMBANKMENT DURING THE LANDING ROLL AFTER COMPLETING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 5 MILES SO. OF LOS BANOS ARPT, LOS BANOS, CA. THE PLT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING HARRIS-ARGO WEST ARPT (5CA7), THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ENGINE POWER LOSS. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED BOTH WING FUEL TANKS CONTAINED LESS THAN 1 GALLON OF FUEL IN EACH TANK. THE FUEL TANKS INTEGRITY WAS NOT COMPROMISED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD INTENDED TO REFUEL THE ACFT AT 5CA7, BUT UPON ARRIVAL HE WAS INFORMED THAT FUEL SERVICE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE AIM AND AOPA ARPT DIRECTORIES INDICATE THAT FUEL SERVICE AT 5CA7 WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
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: 250 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,979 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 24, 1985; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5CA7 Five Points CA
- Destination: LSN Los Banos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from MER, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.