Mooney M-20E accident near Lee Vining, California, April 2, 1991
On April 2, 1991 at about 5:00 am local time, a Mooney M-20E, registered N1941Y, was destroyed in an accident near Lee Vining, 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
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT FATIGUE DUE TO A LENGTHY CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1991 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Lee Vining, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20E · all M-20Es on the register
- Registration
- N1941Y · no longer on the register · serial 248
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT BEGAN AT ABOUT 0830 HOURS AND WAS PLANNED TO COVER ABOUT 1,300 NAUTICAL MILES. THE PILOT DEPARTED HIS LAST FUEL STOP AT ABOUT 2000 HOURS WHERE A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED FATIGUED. THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS OVER HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN THAT HAD A MINIMUM FLIGHT ELEVATION OF 13,500 FEET. AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER SIGNAL WAS RECEIVED AT 0024 HOURS, LOCATED 105 MILES WEST OF THE LAST DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED BY SEARCH PERSONNEL AT 11,000 FEET AND HAD IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN SIDE IN A REMOTE AREA OF DEEP SNOW. AT THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 1,000 FEET BELOW THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE LINE. THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT PLACED THE AIRPLANE IN AN AREA THAT DID NOT HAVE ANY GROUND OR MOON ILLUMINATION.
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
- Flight time: 303 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 175 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-AIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THP Tonopah NV at 4:00 am
- Destination: SCK Stockton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 am from MCE, 70 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.