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Atlas / NTSB / WPR26LA009

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR26LA009

2025-10-07 Watsonville, California, United States Airport · WVI None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N6814N

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

MOONEY M20C

Year of manufacture

1968 · 57 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING HO-360 (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19680711

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A909DF

Registrant of record

MCKENNA TERENCE M

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s decision to program avionics during taxi, resulting in an inadvertent throttle input and collision with a hangar.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the airplane reported that while taxiing for departure he reached over to enter navigation information into the GPS, which was mounted on the right-side control yoke. While moving his hand back to the left side yoke, he inadvertently advanced the throttle forward. Subsequently, the airplane accelerated forward and impacted a hangar, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • Aircraft-Aircraft handling/service-Towing and taxiing-Taxiing-Incorrect use/operation
  • Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
  • Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot
  • Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Powerplant parameters-Incorrect use/operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_WPR26LA009.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.