Mooney M20J accident near Inyokern, California, August 24, 1988
On August 24, 1988 at about 3:58 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N5769Y, was destroyed in an accident near Inyokern, California. 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
PILOTS INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL AFTER ENCOUNTERING A LEVEL FOUR THUNDERSTORM ON A NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1988 · about 3:58 am local time
- Place
- Inyokern, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N5769Y · no longer on the register · serial 24-1496
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WEATHER REPORTS FROM A NEARBY AIRPORT AND WITNESS OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT A LEVEL 4 THUNDERSTORMS WAS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE AS THE ACFT APPROACHED. THE PLT DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLT WX BRIEFING FOR THIS NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY. THE WX INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE TIME HE DEPARTED CLEARLY NOTED THE THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTENING PRESENT ON HIS ROUTE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT TRACKING ALONG A HIGHWAY WITH THE MODE C REPORTING ERRATIC ALTITUDE JUMPS. THE RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT TURN RIGHT TIGHTLY AND DESCEND AT A RAPID RATE. EVIDENCE AT THE SITE SHOWED THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A 60 DEGREE RIGHT BANK TURN WITH THE NOSE DOWN AT ABOUT 40 DEGREES AND AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE PLT WAS NOT CURRENT FOR NIGHT FLT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 488 hours in all; 297 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,632 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 1988; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flightworks Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 3:13 am
- Destination: MMH Mammoth CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from NID, 14 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.