Mooney M20-F accident near Salem, Oregon, July 11, 1985
On July 11, 1985 at about 1:30 am local time, a Mooney M20-F, registered N6879V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salem, Oregon (Flying W airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 11, 1985 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Salem, Oregon · Flying W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20-F · all M20-Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6879V · registry record · serial 22-1272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN INADVERTANT GEAR-UP LANDING. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED. WHEN FUNCTIONALLY TESTED, THE LANDING GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY. THE GEAR WARNING HORN WAS FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE HOWEVER, THE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT AND DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.
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: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 851 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLE Salem OR at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,500 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.
Other NTSB records under N6879V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.