Accident: Mooney M20E
Jan 17, 2018 · Skyforest, CA
NTSB numberWPR18LA069Event id20180117X61126
- 0
- Fatalities
- 1
- Serious injuries
- 1
- Minor injuries
- 2
- Uninjured
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to establish the proper airspeed after departure and to maintain adequate clearance from a ridgeline in high-density and downdraft conditions and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall with insufficient altitude to recover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight weight and balance calculations, which failed to take into account the gross weight, high-altitude conditions, and center of gravity limit.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. Record last changed Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC.
Aircraft involved
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E
- Registration
- N5562Q
- Year built
- 1965
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rules
- Part 91: general aviation
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise Aerodynamic stall/spin
Source: National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database. Counts only; Voydar holds no names.
Nearest airports
Airports with a Voydar profile closest to the recorded position. Proximity only.
- San Bernardino International Airport (SBD)9 nm (16 km) south
- Big Bear City Airport (RBF)16 nm (29 km) east
- Flabob Airport (RIR)19 nm (35 km) south-west
This page restates the NTSB's public record. Injury figures are counts; Voydar does not hold or publish the names of anyone involved.