Mooney M20E accident near Julian, California, April 30, 1989
On April 30, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N9276V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Julian, California (Butterfield Ranch). It was a personal 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOOSE GRAVEL RUNWAY AND THE FENCE WHICH THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Julian, California · Butterfield Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9276V · registry record · serial 690062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE LANDED TO THE NORTH ON A 2,000 FOOT RUNWAY, THEN TAXIED TO A 1,000 FOOT RUNWAY TO TAKEOFF TO THE WEST. THE OAT WAS 80 DEGREES F, THE WINDS WERE FROM THE WNW AT 10 KNOTS, AND THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 1,600 FEET MSL. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS MORE THAN ADEQUATE RUNWAY AVAILABLE FOR A NORMAL DEPARTURE. HE SAID THE TAKEOFF APPEARED NORMAL BUT EVIDENTLY THE LOOSE SAND EXTENDED THE TAKEOFF ROLL. JUST AS THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE IT IMPACTED A FENCE AT THE END OF THE AIRPORT.
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: 889 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,386 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 25, 1988; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX89LA175.