Mooney M20B accident near Auburn, New York, November 29, 1982
On November 29, 1982 at about 4:33 pm local time, a Mooney M20B, registered N13213, was destroyed in an accident near Auburn, New York. It was a personal 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
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
- November 29, 1982 · about 4:33 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20B · all M20Bs on the register
- Registration
- N13213 · no longer on the register · serial 1867
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DEPARTURE ON AN IFR CLIMB-OUT RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. THE PILOT'S LAST REPORTED ALTITUDE WAS PASSING THROUGH 4,500 FT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA AT AN ELEVATION OF 1,700 FT MSL. INITIAL CONTACT WAS WITH TREES APPROXIMATELY 40 FT IN HEIGHT AT AN ANGEL OF APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES. THE PILOT HAD 20 ACTUAL INSTRUMENT AND 68 SIMULATED INSTRUMENT HOURS LOGGED.
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; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 1,149 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,062 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 725 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Skaneateles NY at 11:20 am
- Destination: Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from SYR, 26 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.