# NTSB NYC88FA042: Mooney M20K, N252ZF, Danby, VT, November 14, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: November 14, 1987, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place: Danby, VT
- Location: 43.3437° N, 72.9947° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Danby, VT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3437&lon=-72.9947&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report July 3, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35990
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88FA042
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35990/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88FA042

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor)
  - weather evaluation - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - attempted, pilot in command (cause)
  - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PILOT WAS ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES.  SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING EXTENSIVE ENGINE SURGES. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT MANEUVERING IN A HIGHLY ERRATIC MANNER, THEN BEGIN A NOSE DIVE FOLLOWED BY ACFT ROTATION. ALL THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE ACFT'S ENGINE SURGE TO A HIGH SETTING JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE ACFT WAS HEADING WEST WHEN IT IMPACTED IN A 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND A 45 DEGREE RIGHT BANK. THE ACFT DEBRIS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT A 100 BY 200 FOOT AREA OF THE DENSELY FORRESTED, HARD GROUND. THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS, MODERATE RIME OR MIXED ICING, AND TURBULENCE WITH VISIBILITIES BETWEEN 3 TO 5 MILES. THE LOCAL WEATHER WAS AS FORECAST ACCORDING TO LOCAL WITNESSES AND BY AIRLINE EMPLOYEES.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N252ZF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N252ZF-2013-07-02), registration cancelled 2013-07-02, S/N 25-1106 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20K
- Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 25-1106
- Airframe hours: 74
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-360-MB1 210 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Dirk Kuzmier
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Unknown, February 18, 1987, 74 hours before
- Departed: MTO, EAST HAMPTON, NY
- Destination: RUT, RUTLAND, VT
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; toxicology performed; flight hours: 300 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 500 ft broken
- Temperature: 43 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: RUT, 12 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 19871114064819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871114064819A), Nov 14, 1987: Mooney M20K, Danby, VT, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Appears aircraft was flown into low clouds with icing condition. Pilot lost control and spun into mountainside.

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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