Mooney M20C accident near Redding, California, March 16, 1992
On March 16, 1992 at about 4:28 am local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N7850V, was destroyed in an accident near Redding, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR AND AIR FILTER ICING, AND, THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER/ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1992 · about 4:28 am local time
- Place
- Redding, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7850V · no longer on the register · serial 2813
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO INSTRUMENT RATED PILOTS DEPARTED FOR A NIGHT IFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT INTO FORCAST ICING CONDITIONS IN A CARBURATED MOONEY M20C. THE PILOTS RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS IN WHICH THEY WERE ADVISED OF LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICING CONDITIONS FROM THE 6,000 FOOT FREEZING LEVEL TO 18,000. THE OWNER PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT HELD A COMMERCIAL AND INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANES. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOTS CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND. THEY WERE CRUISING AT 12,000 FEET. THEY REPORTED EXPERIENCING LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS IN A RADIO EXCHANGE TO FSS. THE PILOT REQUESTED A CLIMB TO 14,000 FEET, AND, DURING THE CLIMB, REQUESTED A DESCENT BACK TO 12,000 FEET. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE STATED THAT HE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TOWARD THE TWO AIRPORTS IN REDDING. TEN MINUTES INTO THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE STILL IMC BUT 'THE ICINGS MELTED OFF.' DURING THE DESCENT THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NO ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES ABOUT 1.6 MILES FROM THE BENTON REDDING AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT APPROVED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 2:45 am
- Destination: RNT Renton WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from RDD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.