Mooney M20J N4101H

Summary

On 5 December 2000 at about 16:38 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N4101H was involved in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut, United States. 3 people were on board and 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

5 December 2000 at 16:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Danbury, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Danbury Municipal (DXR)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N4101H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Beaufort

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA052

1 person had minor injuries.

Water/ice in the fuel system and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane sat on the ramp for about 2 1/2 weeks with the fuel tanks half filled. Outside air temperature had dipped to 18 degrees Fahrenheit the previous night, and was still below freezing about 3 hours before the accident. Temperature at the time of the accident was 43 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot did not check the fuel for water prior to the accident flight. After a normal start, run-up, and takeoff, the engine failed at 400 to 500 feet in the air, and the pilot made a forced landing. Evidence of water was subsequently found in a container that held fuel removed from the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.