# NTSB NYC93LA108: Mooney M20J, N1157B, New Haven, CT, June 9, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 8, 1993, 21:45 local (Jun 9, 1993, 01:45 UTC) - Place: New Haven, CT - Location: 41.2496° N, 72.8834° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from TWEED/NEW HAVEN (HVN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2496&lon=-72.8834&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 18, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38604 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC93LA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38604/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA108 ## Probable cause THE LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT ENCOUNTERING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW AMBIENT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE LACK OF RUNWAY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base turn - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway end ident lights(reil) - unavailable (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - base turn ## Analysis THE PILOT COMPLETED A TOUCH-AND-GO ON RWY 20 FROM A SIMULATED ENGINE-OUT APPROACH, AND ON UPWIND REQUESTED A SHORT APPROACH TO RWY 32. THE TOWER CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO LAND ON RWY 32, AND WAS LAST OBSERVED STARTING A LEFT CROSSWIND. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED BRUSH AND CARTWHEELED ACROSS A ROAD, LEAVING PROPELLER STRIKE MARKS ON THE ROAD. ONE PROP BLADE WAS FOUND BENT FORWARD; THE OTHER BLADE TIP WAS SEVERED - THE SEVERED END HAD SIGNS OF DEFORMATION & BENDING MOMENTS FORWARD ACROSS THE CORD OF THE BLADE. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED AND NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. DEPARTURE OFF RWY 20, WITH A LEFT TURN TOWARD RWY 32, PROVIDES A PILOT WITH A VIEW OF LONG ISLAND SOUND AND THE LIGHTS FROM THE SHORE OF LONG ISLAND LESS THAN 20 MI AWAY. THERE WAS NO VASI OR REIL FOR RWY 32. ## Factual narrative On Tuesday, June 8, 1993, at about 2145 eastern daylight time, a Mooney 20J, N1157B, owned and piloted by David B. Wakefield, of North Haven, Connecticut, impacted the ground approximately one quarter mile from the runway, while in the traffic pattern at the Tweed New Haven Airport, New Haven, Connecticut. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger received minor injures. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan had not been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91. The passenger indicated to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector that conception of the flight originated as he and the pilot departed a social gathering and were in the vicinity of the airport. The airplane departed at approximately 2045 EDT and flew for about 1 hour. From approximately 5,000 feet the pilot performed a spiral descent, did a touch and go on runway 20 and requested a full stop landing on runway 32. The pilot flew left traffic for runway 32, and while turning from the downwind to base leg, the airplane impacted the ground. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1157B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1157B-2003-01-27), registration cancelled 2003-01-27, S/N 24-1287, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1287 - Airframe hours: 1940 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A3B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: David B. Wakefield - Registered owner: David B. Wakefield - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 4, 1992 - Departed: HVN - Destination: HVN - Airport: HVN, Tweed New Haven, runway 32, 3,634 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,015 total, 600 in this make and model, 955 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: HVN, 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 19930608017449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930608017449A), Jun 8, 1993: Mooney M20J, New Haven, CT, Substantial damage. Lost normal visual reference in steep turn to final. Flew into ground. Shoreline lights and inversion illusion. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.