Mooney M20K accident near June Lake, California, November 30, 1993
On November 30, 1993 at about 1:49 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N5788U, was destroyed in an accident near June Lake, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN LIMITS (AIRSPEED AND/OR STRESS LIMITS) AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A DESCENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS (NIGHT OR LATE DUSK), THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 1993 · about 1:49 am local time
- Place
- June Lake, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5788U · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A 329 NAUTICAL MILE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINS AND DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. ABOUT 88 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED, BUT WAS MISSING FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS. IT WAS FOUND AT ABOUT THE 12,200 FOOT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF THE DIRECT COURSE LINE FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT TO THE DESTINATION. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP. WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS FOUND OVER A 1,500 FOOT AREA. THE EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, BUT WAS NOT FOUND, EXCEPT THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHTS WERE FOUND IN DEBRIS NORTH OF THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AREA NAVIGATION SYSTEM, LORAN-C, AND A PORTABLE GPS. THE AUTOPILOT WAS FOUND ENGAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEAL THAT A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE AVIONICS IN THE AIRPLANE BELONGED TO AN AIRPLANE THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED STOLEN. THERE WERE NO RECORDS FOUND OF ANY INSPECTIONS OR MAINTENANCE BEING PERFORMED ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,263 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O04 Carson City NV
- Destination: CNO Chino CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from TVL, 76 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N5788U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.