Mooney M-20J accident near Yorktown, Virginia, May 11, 1988
On May 11, 1988 at about 4:57 pm local time, a Mooney M-20J, registered N567MM, was destroyed in an accident near Yorktown, Virginia (Patrick Henry Intl 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
- May 11, 1988 · about 4:57 pm local time
- Place
- Yorktown, Virginia · Patrick Henry Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20J · all M-20Js on the register
- Registration
- N567MM · no longer on the register · serial 24-1068
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT AFTER A 20 MINUTE LOCAL FLIGHT. ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE ARPT HE NOTICED THE OIL PRES/TEMP GAGES INDICATED ZERO EVEN AFTER HE CHECKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS-SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND VIBRATE SEVERELY. THE PLT SHUT THE ENG DOWN AND LANDED IN A FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THERE WAS OIL LEAKAGE THROUGH A SPLIT IN THE OIL GASKET LOCATED BETWEEN THE OIL FILTER CONVERTER PLATE AND ITS MOUNTING FLANGE. THERE WAS FAILURE OF THE CYL NO. 4 CONNECTING ROD BEARING BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF LUBRICATION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,570 hours in all; 638 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 1,219 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 6,526 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from PHF, 4 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.