Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Borrego Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ranchita, California 92066
Saturday, February 3, 2007 18:38 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Recorded radar data indicated that after the airplane took off for the cross-country flight across a costal mountain range, it climbed to an altitude of 7,500 feet msl on a northeasterly course toward its intended destination, which was in a large valley on the other side of the mountains. As the flight neared the destination airport and while still over mountainous terrain, the target began a gradual descent as it continued on the northeasterly heading. The last radar return was at an altitude of 4,100 feet msl. The wreckage was located on a flat mountain plateau covered with large rocks and low vegetation. The first identified point of contact with the ground were black rubber marks noted on numerous rocks about 180 feet from the main wreckage. The main wreckage was at an elevation of 4,294 feet and the ground scars and wreckage signatures were consistent with the airplane contacting the ground in a near wings level attitude. The propeller exhibited signatures consistent with significant power production from the engine. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. Moonrise occurred approximately 20 minutes after the accident. Weather reports from nearby aviation reporting stations depicted conditions of clear skies and visibilities equal to or greater than 10 miles over a wide area encompassing the accident site. Investigators found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance during a cruise descent. Contributing to the accident were the dark night lighting conditions and the mountainous terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/3/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1838 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Ranchita |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92066 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 331016N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1162526W |
| Event Location Airport | BORREGO VALLEY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | L08 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 23 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 520 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1852 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RNM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -115 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 24 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24260 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 3 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2008 6:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Diego FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N201RV |
| NTSB Number | LAX07FA080 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20J |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-0256 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Mar 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 80 |
| Airframe Hours | 2994.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Leon J. Thal |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cardiff |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92007 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MYF |
| Departure City | SAN DIEGO |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1815 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | L08 |
| Destination City | BORREGO SPRINGS |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 5 2008 5:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |