Mooney M20F accident near Cedar Vale, Kansas, January 19, 1982
On January 19, 1982 at about 9:30 am local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N7761M, was destroyed in an accident near Cedar Vale, Kansas (Mills Ranch airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1982 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Cedar Vale, Kansas · Mills Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7761M · no longer on the register · serial 22 0021
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT, THE PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK AN ELECTRIC FENCE. AFTER THE PROPELLER WAS REPAIRED, THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF AT NIGHT. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD REMOVED ALL FROST BEFORE TAKEOFF. WITNESSES STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP CLIMB, THEN IT CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND CRASHED. THEY REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UNTIL IMPACT. BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK ELECTRIC LINES AND TREES. THE LOOSE END OF AN ELECTRIC WIRE HAD THE APPEARANCE OF BEING CUT AND SEVERAL TREE LIMBS WERE FOUND WITH DIAGONAL SLASH MARKS. THE WITNESSES ESTIMATED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 3 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, A FEW MINUTES LATER, LOW CEILING AND VISIBILITY WITH FOG WERE REPORTED.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-BEF (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KS30 Cedar Vale KS at 3:30 am
- Destination: Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.