Mooney M20K accident near Incline Village, Nevada, February 23, 1989
On February 23, 1989, a Mooney M20K, registered N94276, was destroyed in an accident near Incline Village, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WHEN TROUBLESHOOTING SURGING FUEL PRESSURE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS SNOW CONDITIONS WHICH IMPAIRED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO MAKE A PROPER FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1989
- Place
- Incline Village, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N94276 · no longer on the register · serial 25-0481
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT CRUISE, THE PILOT NOTED A LOSS OF FUEL FLOW. THE PILOT TURNED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP ON AND FUEL FLOW RETURNED TO NORMAL. WITH THE FUEL BOOST PUMP OFF THE FUEL FLOW DROPPED BELOW 6 GPH AND THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE DIED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RESTART, BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW THE CLOUDS INTO HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE AND THEN ROLLED INVERTED BEFORE STRIKING THE GROUND. POST-ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND TEST RUN IN A TEST CELL. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,504 hours in all; 581 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,313 as pilot in command; 1,474 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,203 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1988; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-6B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Performance Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.