Mooney M20C accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, November 15, 1987
On November 15, 1987 at about 7:27 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6670R, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon Natl Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were 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
- November 15, 1987 · about 7:27 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon Natl Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6670R · no longer on the register · serial 2865
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING EN ROUTE ALL ENGINE POWER WAS SUDDENLY LOST AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LDG AT THE GRAND CANYON ARPT. DURING THE GLIDE, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO AN OUTCROP OF ROCKS ON A STEEP CLIFF, 0.5 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY. EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE #3 CONNECTING ROD BOLT NUTS HAD BACKED OFF THE BOLT, AND OTHER NUT HAD BEEN PARTIALLY STRIPPED OFF ITS BOLT. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR 212 HRS SMOH. LAB EXAM OF THE BOLT/NUT INTERFACE INDICATED THAT THE NUTS HAD BEEN UNDERTORQUED WHEN THEY WERE LAST INSTALLED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,433 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1987; 12 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: SEZ Sedona AZ at 6:30 pm
- Destination: L06 Death Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 8,999 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:26 pm from GCN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.