# Accident 20001205025259A: Mooney M20J, Danbury, CT, December 5, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 5, 2000, 11:38 local time
- Place: Danbury, CT
- Airport: Danbury Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3656° N, 73.4998° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3656&lon=-73.4998&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4101H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4101H-2003-10-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: CONT IO360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 28,308 total, 960 in this make and model, 43 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC01LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA052) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001205025259A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE A/C PERFORMED A NORMAL RUNUP AND TAKEOFF AS REPORTED BY THE PILOT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE DXR TOWER THAT HE HAD AN ENGINE OUT. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE SPUTTERED THEN INSTANTLY QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SOCCER FIELD IN HIS FORWARD DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. HIS RIGHT WING STRUCK THE LEFT SUPPORT OF A GOAL POST CAUSING THE A/C TO TURN RIGHT 90 DEGREES AS IT ENTERED A SWAMP WITH THICK BRUSH WHERE IT INCURRED MAJOR DAMAGE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP APPROX. 75 FEET LATER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EGRESSED THE A/C UNASSISTED. (.4) THE AIRPLANE SAT ON THE RAMP FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 WEEKS WITH THE FUEL TANKS HALF FILLED. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE HAD DIPPED TO 18 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, AND WAS STILL BELOW FREEZING ABOUT 3 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 43 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE PILOT DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL FOR WATER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. AFTER A NORMAL START, RUN-UP, AND TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE FAILED AT 400 TO 500 FEET IN THE AIR, AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING. EVIDENCE OF WATER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND IN A CONTAINER THAT HELD FUEL REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE.

## 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 NYC01LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA052), Dec 5, 2000: Mooney M20J (N4101H), Danbury, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: Water/ice in the fuel system and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

## Other reports on N4101H (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19920929045429I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920929045429I), Sep 29, 1992: Mooney M20J (N4101H), Wadsworth, OH, Minor damage. Pilot lost directional control on a soft field takeoff. Veered off runway and struck a tree.
- [Incident 19860108003049I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860108003049I), Jan 8, 1986: Mooney M20J (N4101H), Danbury, CT. At altitude oil appeared on windshield. Engine shutdown on final. Crankshaft seal leaking due to frozen breather.

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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