Socata TB10 accident near Battle Mountain, Nevada, May 26, 1987
On May 26, 1987 at about 9:47 pm local time, a Socata TB10, registered N20FU, was destroyed in an accident near Battle Mountain, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- May 26, 1987 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- Battle Mountain, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB10 · all TB10s on the register
- Registration
- N20FU · registry record · serial 641
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING CALLING FOR MOUNTAINS OCCASIONALLY OBSCURED, OCCASIONAL MODERATE ICING FROM 18000 FT & BELOW, AND CEILINGS ACROSS NORTH & CENTRAL NEVADA, THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED SALT LAKE CITY FOR RENO. EN ROUTE PILOT ENTERED IMC MOUNTAINOUS AREA & ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB TO 12000 FT, MINIMUM SAFE IFR ALTITUDE, AFTER COORDINATION WITH CENTER. DURING CLIMB AND WHILE IN IMC LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAIN LEDGE IN NOSE LOW INVERTED ATTITUDE AT HIGH SPEED. PILOT HAD NEW AUTOPILOT AND LORAN INSTALLED DAY BEFORE DEPARTING ON ACCIDENT TRIP. DURING STOPOVER AT BATTLE MOUNTAIN FBO TRIED TO CONVINCE PILOT TO DELAY DUE TO POOR WEATHER.
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: 147 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 18, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 6:42 pm
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 350 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.