Mooney M20C accident near Spring Valley, California, January 12, 1987
On January 12, 1987 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6864U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Valley, California. 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
- January 12, 1987 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Spring Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6864U · registry record · serial 2568
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A MOONEY M20C COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE DURING LANDING ROLL AFTER LANDING ON A ROAD. THE PLT INDICATED THAT WHILE CRUISING AT 3,500 FT MSL HE NOTICED THE ENG OIL PRESSURE FALL TO ZERO. THE CONSTANT SPEED PROPELLOR SIMULTANEOUSLY WENT TO LOW PITCH, FOLLOWED BY THE ENG SEIZING. THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND AND SELECTED A ROAD TO LAND ON. ON FINAL APPROACH THE PLT OBSERVED TWO AUTOMOBILES HAD DRIVEN INTO HIS PLANNED LANDING AREA. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PLT WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE FIRST AUTOMOBILE, BUT COLLIDED WITH THE SECOND. THE ACFT LEFT WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED IN THE COLLISION. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS ALSO DAMAGED AND ITS DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT ENG REVEALED THE ENG OIL DRAIN PLUG WAS MISSING WITH NO EVIDENCE OF IT BEING SAFETY WIRED. THE ENG HAD COMPLETED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND HAD ACCUMULATED 2.9 HOURS OF OPERATION SINCE A MAJOR OVERHAUL. THIS WAS THE ACFTS SECOND FLIGHT SINCE THE ENG WAS OVERHAULED.
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: 4,289 hours in all; 2,730 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,926 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1987; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L39 Ramona CA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Observation at 6:48 pm from MYF, 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.
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.