Mooney M20C accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, July 5, 1994
On July 5, 1994 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6959U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (Voc Tech airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN THE PROPER TAKEOFF SPEED. FACTORS ARE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1994 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Voc Tech
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6959U · no longer on the register · serial 2710
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM A 2100 FOOT GRAVEL RUNWAY WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 4200 FEET AND A CROSS WIND FROM THE LEFT AT 12 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT GET AIRBORNE AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRT EMBANKMENT PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT WHICH HAD JUST COME OUT OF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,015 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,207 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1994; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from LAS, 4 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.