Mooney M20J accident near Big Bear, California, June 20, 1994
On June 20, 1994 at about 2:40 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201NK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear, California (Big Bear airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power from a malfunctioning magneto due to a loose oil seal in an overhauled magneto.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1994 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Big Bear, California · Big Bear · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201NK · registry record · serial 24-0303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND DITCHED INTO A LAKE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD THE ENGINE MISSING AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE COWLING AREA. THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE MAGNETO WAS REPLACED WITH AN OVERHAULED UNIT 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE MAGNETO FOUND THAT THE OIL SLINGER RING WAS LOOSE WHICH ALLOWED THE LUBRICATING OIL FROM THE CRANKCASE TO ENTER THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE MAGNETO. THE SPARK PLUGS THEN FAILED TO FIRE PROPERLY RESULTING IN A RICH MIXTURE AND SUBSEQUENT SMOKE.
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: 1,079 hours in all; 526 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 852 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1994; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L35 at 2:00 am
- Destination: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from ONT, 1 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.
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.