Mooney M20C accident near Netarts, Oregon, December 11, 2001
On December 11, 2001, a Mooney M20C, registered N5774Q, was destroyed in an accident near Netarts, Oregon. 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
Reason for occurrence undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2001
- Place
- Netarts, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5774Q · no longer on the register · serial 3089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Reportedly, the pilot departed Renton, Washington, on the morning of December 11. The pilot's intended route of flight was from Renton to Arcata, California, and then a final leg from Arcata to Port Angeles, Washington, later that day. The aircraft arrived at the midpoint destination on the afternoon of December 11. After failing to arrive at the final destination, a search for the airplane was initiated. Law enforcement officials reported that personal items belonging to the passenger, as well as pieces of the airplane were recovered from a beach near Netarts, Oregon; however, the main aircraft wreckage was never located. The Oregon Civil Air Patrol suspended the search for the missing aircraft on January 10, 2002.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACV Arcata/Eureka CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: CLM Port Angeles WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KACV
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.