# NTSB NYC96LA087: Mooney M20K, N231KS, West Milford, NJ, April 21, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 21, 1996, 12:50 local (16:50 UTC) - Place: West Milford, NJ - Location: 41.1185° N, 74.3606° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from GREENWOOD LAKE (4N1), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1185&lon=-74.3606&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 28, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39165 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC96LA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39165/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA087 ## Probable cause loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain and subsequent collision with trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - In flight collision with object, emergency landing after takeoff - object - tree(s) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered ## Analysis An annual maintenance inspection had just been completed on the airplane, and it was test flown by another pilot. The pilot/owner refueled the airplane, then he and three passengers boarded the airplane for a cross-country flight. The engine was run up, and the pilot departed on runway 24. During the initial climb, about 500 feet above the ground, a complete loss of engine power occurred. The pilot performed a 180 degree turn to land on runway 06; however. he decided that he could not reach the runway at the completion of the turn. He then lowered the landing gear, and stalled the airplane into trees, about 3/4 mile from the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failure of the airframe. The engine was test run and operated normally through all power ranges. ## Factual narrative On April 21, 1996, at 1250 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N231KS, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from the Greenwood Lake Airport, West Milford, New Jersey. The private pilot received minor injuries, while two passengers received serious injuries and one passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at the Greenwood Lake Airport (4N1), about 1248. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In his written statement, the pilot stated that an annual maintenance inspection had recently been completed on the airplane. He further stated: "...Kevin and a certified instructor had just flown the airplane to make sure that everything was 'okay'...He assured me that everything was 'okay' and that 'it all ran up fine'...I...filled it up with fuel and then proceeded to do a pre-flight...We loaded the aircraft...I did my run up...and took off in a normal fashion. The engine developed power as normal...about 500 feet above the airport elevation, the engine just totally stopped...I then proceeded to turn the airplane around...the gear was up and the flaps were up. So I continued around in that fashion with the intention of making it back to the runway...I got lined up with the runway...I began to believe that I could not make the runway...I didn't want to take the chance of possible not making the runway and stalling the plane over this stumped area...I decided to put the gear down and put it into the trees before I reached the stumped area...I hit trees about a thousand feet from where the stumped area begins...my wife told me that immediately following the engine failure there was a clear liquid on the windshield in front of her vision which she described to me as a misty clear liquid...this liquid continuing all the way up until we struck the trees..." According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the airplane struck trees about 3/4 mile from the approach end of runway 06. Examination of the airplane revealed fuel in both wing tanks, and the fuel tank finger screens and vents were unobstructed. In the FAA Inspector's report he stated: "...On June 27, 1996, and engine test cell run was conducted at the Mattituck Airbase Inc. The results found that the engine started normally and performed acceptable through the required power ranges. The reason for the reported engine operating failure could not be determined." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N231KS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N231KS-2012-10-11), registration cancelled 2012-10-11, S/N 25-0288, built 1979 (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: 25-0288 - Airframe hours: 850 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-GB1 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James J. Venusti - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 21, 1996, 0 hours before - Departed: 4N1 - Destination: CGS, COLLEGE PARK, MD - Airport: 4N1, Greenwood Lake, runway 24, 4,000 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,425 total, 825 in this make and model, 1,275 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 14 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft broken - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TEB, 23 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 19960421007889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960421007889A), Apr 21, 1996: Mooney M20K, West Milford, NJ, Destroyed. Engine problem climbout. Hit trees one short runway returning. No engine defects found. 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.