Mooney M-20C accident near Roll, Arizona, March 10, 1986
On March 10, 1986 at about 6:00 am local time, a Mooney M-20C, registered N9694M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roll, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 10, 1986 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Roll, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20C · all M-20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9694M · no longer on the register · serial 670030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LANDED AT GILA BEND MUNICIPAL ARPT FOR FUEL. THE REFUELING FACILITIES WERE CLOSED AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PROCEED TO YUMA INT'L ARPT, ABOUT 113 MILES EAST OF GILA BEND ARPT. THE PLT HAD FLOWN THE ACFT FOR ABOUT 4 HRS AND 5 MINUTES PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR YUMA. ABOUT 40 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING THE ARPT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ENG PWR LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A DIRT STRIP. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN LONG, OVERSHOT THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A SAND BERM EAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT LANDED TO THE EAST AND THE PREVAILING SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM THE WEST AT 15 TO 20 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
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E63 Gila Bend AZ at 9:20 pm
- Destination: YUM Yuma AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,640 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.