Mooney M20K accident near Des Moines, Washington, December 30, 1985
On December 30, 1985 at about 2:13 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N1152T, was destroyed in an accident near Des Moines, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 30, 1985 · about 2:13 am local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1152T · no longer on the register · serial 250630
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WEATHER BRIEFER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO CURRENT/FORECAST CONDTIONS. THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT THEN FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN RESPONDING THAT HE WAS IFR RATED AND WOULD FILE INFLIGHT IF NECESSARY. WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT CRUISING NORTHBOUND OVER I-5 AT A MODERATE SPEED AND LOW ALTITUDE BENEATH THE CLOUDS. WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE DESCRIBED AS 300 FOOT CEILING AND 1 MILE VISIBILITY. DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINE 75 FEET ABOVE THE I-5 MEDIAN AND 6 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. IN SPITE OF DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS THE PILOT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DIVERT ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO A MORE FAVORABLE DESTINATION. AN ENTRY REFERRING TO 'SCUD FLYING' WAS NOTED IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK.
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: 341 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,052 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 9, 1985; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunwest Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HIO Hillsboro OR at 1:12 am
- Destination: BFI Seatle WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from SEA, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.