Mooney M20K accident near Applegate, Oregon, February 11, 1994
On February 11, 1994 at about 2:25 am local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N1093M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Applegate, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND ICING CONDITIONS. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SELECTED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, DARK NIGHT, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1994 · about 2:25 am local time
- Place
- Applegate, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1093M · no longer on the register · serial 25-0589
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT TIME CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN REPORTED ICING CONDITIONS, THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE WAS PICKING UP ICE AND THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. ATC ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE TO LOWER TERRAIN, HOWEVER, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE TERRAIN FOR A REFERENCE AND EVENTUALLY DROPPED BELOW RADAR CONTACT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING ALONG THE EDGE OF A LAKE AND APPEARED TO BE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE THEN COLLIDED WITH THE WEST SIDE OF A VALLEY WALL AT THE NORTH END OF THE LAKE NEAR A DAM.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 881 hours in all; 479 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 845 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1993; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBL Red Bluff CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: MFR Medford OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from MFR, 22 miles away
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.