Mooney M20J accident near Taft, California, November 30, 1985
On November 30, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201UH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taft, California (Taft-Kern County airport). It was a personal 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
- November 30, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Taft, California · Taft-Kern County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201UH · no longer on the register · serial 24-0370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LANDING GEAR INTRANSIT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON WHEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE GEAR AFTER TAKEOFF. AFTER ALL EFFORTS TO EXTEND OR RETRACT THE GEAR FAILED THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND AT THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED THAT THE LANDING GEAR DRIVE GEAR FAILED AFTER THE GEAR RETRACTION HAD BEGUN ON TAKEOFF.
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: 780 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 660 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A16D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L17 Taft CA at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,970 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from BFL, 25 miles away
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.