Mooney M20F accident near Stevensville, Maryland, April 29, 1985
On April 29, 1985 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9107V, was destroyed in an accident near Stevensville, Maryland (Castle Marina airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1985 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stevensville, Maryland · Castle Marina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9107V · no longer on the register · serial 690024
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN IN NORMAL CURISE AT 3000 FT OVER CASTLE MARINA ARPT HE NOTICED EXCESSIVE OIL AND CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS. A CONCURRENT SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS EMANATING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHICH PROMPTED THE PLT TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT CASTLE MARINA. WHILE TAXIING FROM LDG, THE SMOKE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THICKENED. THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEMS AND ENGINE (WHICH HAD CONTINUED TO RUN NORMALLY), AND EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE. FLAMES THEN ENGULFED AND DESTROYED THE CABIN AREA AND INST PNL. A MECHANIC DISCOVERED A CRACKED OIL PRESSURE GAGE LINE. THIS LINE IS SITUATED ABOVE THE TAIL PIPE AND IS ADJACENT TO A WIRE BUNDLE THAT POWERS THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS. THE CRACK OCCURRED UNDER THE REDUCTION FITTING NUT, AND METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERTIGHTENING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1984; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W00 Mitchellville MD at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,700 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from BWI, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.