Mooney M20J accident near Placerville, California, July 18, 1997
On July 18, 1997 at about 5:42 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N405LA, was destroyed in an accident near Placerville, California (Placerville airport). It was a business 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 for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1997 · about 5:42 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N405LA · registry record · serial 24-3018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees and a residence after a loss of engine power while on final approach to runway 23. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire, to include all engine accessories, the cockpit, and fuel system. A witness heard the pilot announce that he was on a 2 mile final to runway 23 and no additional transmissions were heard. Other witnesses saw the airplane make a descending, low, sweeping turn to the southwest just above the tree line, in a left wing down attitude just prior to the collision with the trees and residence 1 mile west of the airport. The engine was disassembled and examined with no anomalies noted which would have precluded the engine from producing power. The landing gear was in the down position, and the fuel selector was in the off position. Fuel load and usage was reconstructed based upon the distance between the origin and destination airports. The trip required 15 gallons of fuel. The airplane's last known fueling was on July 17th at the departure airport, when each wing tank was filled with 10 gallons. It is not known how much fuel was present in each tank prior to this fueling. Flight hours subsequent to the July 17th fueling could not be determined. Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, was detected in the pilot's blood at 0.186 ug/ml, and in the liver at 1.594 ug/ml
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: 1,531 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 1,354 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 3:10 pm
- Destination: PVF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from MCC, 31 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.