# NTSB NYC84FNE05: Mooney M20C, N74558, Danbury, CT, August 14, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report
- Date: August 14, 1984, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Danbury, CT
- Location: 41.3860° N, 73.4805° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from DANBURY MUNI (DXR), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3860&lon=-73.4805&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35425
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC84FNE05
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35425/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC84FNE05

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Fire, climb
  - exhaust system - deteriorated (cause)
  - exhaust system - brittle fracture (cause)
  - exhaust system - leak (cause)
  - fuel system,line - burned (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
  - fuselage,crew compartment - smoke (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing

## Analysis

AN ENG COMPARTMENT FIRE OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF & SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. THE PLT THEN MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SAND PIT APRX 1 MI FM THE ARPT. HE & THE PAX EXITED THE ACFT WITH SERIOUS BURNS. AN INV REVEALED AN EXHAUST PIPE HAD FAILED AT A PRE-EXISTING CRACK NEAR FUEL SUPPLY LINES. THE EXHAUST PIPE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY WELDED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNRELATED TO THE WELD REPAIR. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE FUEL LINES WERE BURNED BY ESCAPING EXHAUST GASES WHICH RESULTEDIN THE FIRE. DRG AN ANNUAL INSPN ON 12/21/82, EXHAUST SYS CRACKS WERE WELDED & THE MECHANIC RETURNED THE ACFT TO SERVICEAS AIRWORTHY, BUT RECOMMENDED THE EXHAUST SYS BE REPLACED. NO CRACKS WERE FND DRG A SUBSEQUENT ANNUAL INSPN ON 2/2/84 AT A TOTAL AIRFRAME TIME OF 3316 HRS & AN ENG TIME OF 1754 HRS. THE FLT TIME FROM THE LAST INSPN TO THE TIME OF THE ACDNT WAS NOT DETERMINED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N74558 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20C
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1949
- Airframe hours: 3316
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: Both
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Robert P. Massi
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 1984
- Departed: DXR, DANBURY, CT
- Destination: BDR, BRIDGEPORT, CT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: DXR, Danbury

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,323 total, 365 in this make and model, 1,167 as pilot in command, 198 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: DXR, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19840814040469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840814040469A), Aug 14, 1984: Mooney M20C, Danbury, CT, Destroyed. Exhaust broke off engine muffler caused an inflight fire. Crash landed. Pilot owner prior advised to replace system

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.

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