Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morgan Hill, California 95037
Saturday, May 3, 1986 11:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS, TWICE, AND WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AND CRASHED INTO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN THAT WAS OBSCURED BY ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACFT HAD CIRCLED SEVERAL TIMES IN A VALLEY OR CANYON AREA BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED INTO CLOUDS AND IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. THEY REPORTED THAT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THERE WERE LOW CEILINGS, POOR VISIBILITY WITH FOG AND HEAVY RAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1155
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MORGAN HILL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95037
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID SJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 56
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1541
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 3 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31955
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9309V
NTSB Number LAX86FA206
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 690087
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 1231
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HORACE G. CINNAMON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3745 SE LINCOLN ST.
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97214
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name J. M. GRIMES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2119
Operator City SILVER CITY
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86062
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 056
Departure City NOVATO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SVC
Destination City SILVER CITY
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --