Mooney M20C accident near Lodi, California, August 11, 1990
On August 11, 1990 at about 7:04 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N9236M, was destroyed in an accident near Lodi, 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 PILOT TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT WITH A UNRESOLVED DEFICIENCY IN THE AIRCRAFT POWERPLANT RESULTING IN TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWERPLANT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1990 · about 7:04 pm local time
- Place
- Lodi, California · map
- 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
- N9236M · no longer on the register · serial 3445
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED ANOTHER APRT EARLIER THE SAME DAY. THE PLT NOTICED THE ENG OIL PRESS WAS LOW. THE PLT DIVERTED FROM HIS DESTINATION TO ANOTHER APRT. WHILE ENROUTE, THE ENG OIL PRESS GAUGE WENT TO ZERO. AFTER LANDING, THE PLT CHECKED THE ACFT ENG OIL SYSTEM FOR LEAKS. THERE WERE NONE AND THE QUANTITY OF OIL WAS CORRECT AT 7 QTS. THE PLT THEN ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT. ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT, THE ACFT PROP WENT TO LOW PITCH; 30 SECONDS LATER THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT IN A FIELD. THE ENG WAS EXAMINED AND A HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE ENG CASE. THE NO 2 PISTON ROD HAD FAILED. THE ROD EXHIBITED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT EVIDENT OF OIL STARVATION. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: 474 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 199 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,897 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1990; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,775 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresn0 CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: MYV Marysville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SCK, 20 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.