Mooney M20J accident near Dublin, California, September 14, 1987
On September 14, 1987 at about 4:29 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N3551H, was destroyed in an accident near Dublin, California (Oakland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- September 14, 1987 · about 4:29 am local time
- Place
- Dublin, California · Oakland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N3551H · no longer on the register · serial 241037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD FLOWN 5.6 HOURS DURING THE DAY, STARTING THE FIRST FLIGHT ABOUT 0600. ATC CONTROLLERS STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW THE CLEARANCE ISSUED TO HIM. THE CONTROLLERS THEN ISSUED RADAR VECTORS. THE INSTRUCTOR THE PILOT FLEW WITH EARLIER IN THE DAY STATED THAT HE HAD SUGGESTED TO THE PILOT THAT HE SPEND THE NIGHT AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT BUT THE PILOT DECIDED TO DEPART. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE WAS TIRED AND WASN'T DOING TOO WELL. THE CONTROLLER STATED LATER THAT THE PILOT HAD TROUBLE FOLLOWING THE VECTORS GIVEN TO HIM. SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOTACKNOWLEDGED CLEARANCE FOR THE ILS THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN HEADING 180 DEGREES AWAY FROM THE INBOUND LOC COURSE. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK SHOWED ONLY 8 HOURS OF ACTUAL INSTRUMENT TIME.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 352 hours in all; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,407 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1987; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cal. Pacific Associates INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA at 4:08 am
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 5,453 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 am from OAK, 11 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.
Other NTSB records under N3551H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.