NTSB LAX85LA183 — 1985-03-16 · APPLE VALLEY, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N1359W

Make / Model: MOONEY M20C
Year of manufacture: 1963 · 22 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19631226
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A0916C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N1359W Mooney M20C Serious

Factual narrative

UPON LANDING & TAXIING OFF THE RWY THE ATP CERTIFICATED PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE DESIRED ACFT HANGAR IN WHICH THE ACFT WAS TO BE PARKED. THE PLT & HIS 15-YEAR-OLD PAX OBSERVED A BYSTANDER NEAR THEIR ACFT. THE PLT DIRECTED THE PAX TO EXIT THE ACFT & ASK THE BYSTANDER WHERE THE HANGAR WAS LOCATED. THE PLT FAILED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. THE PAX REPORTED HE EXITED THE ACFT AND WALKED TOWARD THE BYSTANDER USING THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE BECAUSE THE BYSTANDER WAS PREPARING TO ENTER ANOTHER ACFT. THE PAX WALKED ON THE WING, AROUND THE DOOR AND JUMPED OFF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING STRIKING THE WINDMILLING PROPELLER. THE PAX REPORTED THE PLT FAILED TO BRIEF HIM ON THE PROPER WAY TO ENTER AND EXIT THE ACFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_LAX85LA183.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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