Mooney M20F accident near Sandy, Oregon, July 31, 1982
On July 31, 1982 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9707M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandy, Oregon (Coutry Squire Airpark airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 31, 1982 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sandy, Oregon · Coutry Squire Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9707M · registry record · serial 670267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED, THE PILOT AND A MECHANIC TOOK OFF ON A TEST FLIGHT. DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND WHEN FORCE LANDED ON SOFT TERRAIN, THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING TANK QUICK DRAIN WAS INOPERABLE (RUSTED SHUT) AND WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. REPORTEDLY, THE QUICK DRAIN HAD BEEN INOPERATIVE SINCE THE PILOT HAD PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT, ABOUT TWO YEARS PREVIOUSLY. THE PILOT BELIEVED WATER COULD BE DRAINED FROM THE LEFT TANK BY SELECTING THAT POSITION AND PULLING THE GASCOLATOR HANDLE IN THE COCKPIT. AN AUTHORIZED MOONEY DISTRIBUTOR STATED THAT OVER ONE GALLON OF FLUID WOULD HAVE TO BE DRAINED IN THIS MANNER, TO BE EFFECTIVE.
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: 1,002 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,001 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S48 Sandy OR at 11:30 am
- Destination: S48 Sandy OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,110 ft by 32 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.