Mooney M20C accident near Michigan Bar, California, December 9, 1986
On December 9, 1986 at about 1:30 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N5808Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Michigan Bar, California (Rancho Murieta airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- December 9, 1986 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Michigan Bar, California · Rancho Murieta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5808Q · registry record · serial 3113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE FLARE, JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, A DEER RAN ACROSS THE RUNWAY FROM THE RIGHT AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WAS NO TIME TO AVOID AN IMPACT.
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: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,985 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 1,930 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,425 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1986; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q05 Davis CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: RIU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.