Mooney M20K accident near Rio Linda, California, October 8, 1990
On October 8, 1990 at about 4:15 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N252YD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Linda, California (Rio Linda airport). 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 AIRPLANE'S GROUND COLLISION WITH AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON WHO WAS LOCATED ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS RELATED TO THE NIGHTTIME (LIGHT) CONDITION WHICH LIMITED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO SEE THE PERSON PRIOR TO THE IMPACT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1990 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Rio Linda, California · Rio Linda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252YD · registry record · serial 25-1075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PLANNED 10-MINUTE LONG LOCAL NIGHTIME FLIGHT THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND LANDED AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE AIRPORT'S RUNWAY LIGHTS AND THE AIRPLANE'S POSITION LIGHTS WERE OPERATING. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A PERSON WHO WAS WALKING ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT OBSERVED THE PERSON IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. THE PERSON, WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED, HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY WARNED BY AIRPORT MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL NOT TO WALK ON THE RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,270 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-MB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,620 ft by 42 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.