Mooney M-20 accident near Spokane, Washington, July 6, 1987
On July 6, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Mooney M-20, registered N5265B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Felts Field). It was a business flight 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 6, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Felts Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20 · all M-20s on the register
- Registration
- N5265B · no longer on the register · serial 1128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT TOUCHDOWN A PROP STRIKE OCCURRED. THE PILOT IMMEDIATLEY ADDED FULL POWER TO GO AROUND. SINCE THE PROP STRIKE WAS SEVERE FULL POWER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE PILOT MADE A SHALLOW 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE RWY AND LANDED ON THE GRASS. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT A RUNWAY EDGE LIGHT BECAME IMBEDDED IN THE AIRCRAFTS WING. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT CLAIMS THAT THE GEAR DID NOT COLLAPSE DUE TO A HARD LANDING, INSPECTION AND WITNESS STATEMENTS REVEALED THAT THE GEAR COLLAPSED DUE TO A HARD LANDING.
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: 833 hours in all; 557 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAT Wenatchee WA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: SFF Spokane WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3L, 4,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:23 pm from SFF
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.