Mooney M20E accident near Riverside, California, August 2, 1991
On August 2, 1991 at about 2:57 am local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N5819Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Riverside, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CONTAMINATION OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WITH AN UNKNOWN OIL-LIKE SUBSTANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1991 · about 2:57 am local time
- Place
- Riverside, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N5819Q · no longer on the register · serial 775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT NOTICED AN AIRPLANE LANDING ON THE RUNWAY AND ANOTHER OCCUPYING THE TAXIWAY ON WHICH HE HAD PLANNED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT EXTENDED HIS APPROACH AND LANDED IN A FIELD EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE WAS FOUND. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL REVEALED THAT FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS CONTAMINATED WITH AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF A LUBRICATING OIL-LIKE SUBSTANCE. NO ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS INVOLVING FUEL OBTAINED FROM THE FUEL VENDOR WERE REPORTED.
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: 112 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 72 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1991; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.