Mooney M20K N231KS

Summary

On 21 April 1996 at about 16:50 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N231KS was involved in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 April 1996 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

West Milford, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Greenwood Lake (4N1)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N231KS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → College Park

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC96LA087

2 people were seriously injured.

loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain and subsequent collision with trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.