Mooney M-18C 55 accident near Napa, California, May 26, 2023
On May 26, 2023 at about 1:46 am local time, a 1955 Mooney M-18C 55, registered N201MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Napa, California (Napa County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and a subsequent impact with terrain during a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2023 · about 1:46 am local time
- Place
- Napa, California · Napa County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-18C 55 NO SERIES, built 1955 · all M-18C 55s on the register
- Registration
- N201MM · registry record · serial 357
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on an approach to the airport about 3,000 ft above ground level (agl) when the engine lost all power. The pilot cycled the throttle control to full, but the engine did not restart and the propeller continued to windmill. He then declared an emergency and initiated a forced landing onto an open field about 5 miles north of the runway. During the landing roll on unimproved terrain, the left wing struck a large rock and came to rest nose down. Subsequently, the left wing sustained substantial damage. During recovery of the aircraft, about 20 gallons of fuel remained in its tanks; a postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies. The temperature at the airport, which was about 6 miles south of the accident site, was 63°F and the dew point was 52°F; the relative humidity was about 67%. A review of the icing probability chart contained within FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed that the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were "conducive to serious icing at glide [idle] power." The pilot added that he did not use carburetor heat during the descent and approach and that he should have used a pre-landing checklist.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fuel related during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 224 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 224 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,018.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 2023; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 693 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O37 Willows CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KAPC, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAPC 260054Z 20018KT 10SM CLR 17/11 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP095 T01670111
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR23LA202.