Mooney M20K accident near Carson City, Nevada, April 13, 1990
On April 13, 1990 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N231NB, was destroyed in an accident near Carson City, Nevada (Carson City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1990 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N231NB · no longer on the register · serial M20K25-0319
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 27, AND WAS ON INITIAL CLIMB AT 200-300 FT ABOVE THE RUNWAY, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY ROLLED LEFT INTO AN INVERTED ATTITUDE AND IMPACT THE GROUND. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED AS 7,057 FT.
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: 218 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 198 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 890 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1989; 245 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: 4TA Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from RNO, 18 miles away
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.