Mooney M20E accident near Dunsmuir, California, January 27, 1987
On January 27, 1987 at about 8:00 am local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N79366, was destroyed in an accident near Dunsmuir, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 27, 1987 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Dunsmuir, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N79366 · no longer on the register · serial 576
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN FLYING LOW AND DISAPPEARED INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, CONSISTING OF LOW CLOUDS, GUSTY WINDS AND SNOW WHICH LASTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ON THE SIDE OF A HILL IN A DESCENDING ATTITUDE WINGS LEVEL. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THAT IT HAD HAILED EARLIER IN THE DAY.
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: 1,691 hours in all; 1,523 in this make and model; 1,595 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,728 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBG Roseburg OR at 5:00 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 25 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 26.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from 105, 30 miles away
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.