Mooney M20 accident near Quincey, Washington, August 14, 1986
On August 14, 1986 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N9517M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quincey, Washington. 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
- August 14, 1986 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Quincey, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N9517M · no longer on the register · serial 670094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE HAD MAD A NORMAL LANDING ON A PAVED CITY STREET IN A HOUSING DVELOPMENT THINKING THAT IT WAS THE QUINCEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. AFTER THE PILOT REALIZED HE AHD MADE A MISTAKE A TAKE OFF WAS ATTEMPTED. DURING THE TAKE OFF THE PILOT ABORTED THE ATTEMPT, AND DURING GROUND ROLL WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND DITCH BEFORE COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. THE SEATTLE SECTIONAL CHART DEPICTS THE QUINCEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AS 'OTHER THAN PAVED' AND THE AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY LISTS THE 09-27 RUNWAY AS 'TREATED GRAVEL'.
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 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1986; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S10 Chelan WA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 8QWA Quincey WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.