# Accident 19980419007109A: Mooney M20J, Bridgeport, CT, April 19, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 19, 1998, 22:23 local time
- Place: Bridgeport, CT
- Airport: Igor I Sikorsky Memorial
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.1635° N, 73.1262° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1635&lon=-73.1262&mi=10
- Aircraft: N40HL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40HL-2013-10-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A3B6
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,412 total, 440 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98FA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980419007109A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) THE PILOT DEPARTED FLORIDA AND MADE A FUEL STOP IN VIRGINIA. LATER DURING A NIGHT PRECISION INSTRUMENT APPROACH UNDER IMC TO FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES.  THE PILOT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH THAT DID NOT COMPLY WITH PUBLISHED PROCEDURES, AND WAS THEN OFFERED SEVERAL ALTERNATE AIRPORTS, SOME UNDER VMC.  THE PILOT CHOSE AN AIRPORT WHICH WAS IMC, AND FOR WHICH HE DID NOT HAVE THE PRECISION APPROACH CHARTS.  THE APPROACH INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.  DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE TOWER CONTROLLER THAT HIS LANDING LIGHTS COULD BE SEEN OVER THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AS THE AIRPLANE WAS 'GOING BACK INTO THE CLOUDS.'  THE AIRPLANE WAS NEXT OBSERVED WELL LEFT OF THE RUNWAY.  THE PILOT WAS ASKED HIS ALTITUDE AND HE RESPONDED '300 FEET.'  THE TOWER CONTROLLER GAVE THE PILOT A VECTOR AND TOLD HIM TO CONTACT APPROACH CONTROL, AND THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED INTO THE CLOUDS AGAIN.  THE AIRPLANE THEN EXITED THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS IN A RIGHT DESCENDING TURN AND STRUCK THE GROUND.  RADAR DATA REVEALED ERRATIC ALTITUDES ON THE GLIDESLOPE AND DURING VECTORS.  THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT DID NOT HAVE AN APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM TO THE PREC ISION APPROACH RUNWAY. IN JANUARY 1995, THE SAFETY BOARD ISSUED A RECOMMENDATION TO INSTALL AN APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM TO THAT RUNWAY 'AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.'                                                                   (-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED AFTER MAKING AN ILS APPROACH.  AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING AN EARLIER APPROACH AT FRG. THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC98FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98FA095), Apr 20, 1998: Mooney M20J (N40HL), Bridgeport, CT, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during night instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were dark night conditions, low ceilings, rain, and his decision to…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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