Mooney M20K accident near Weston, West Virginia, September 21, 1992
On September 21, 1992, a Mooney M20K, registered N99693, was destroyed in an accident near Weston, West Virginia (Louis Bennett Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE INADEQUATE TORQUE OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER ATTACH BOLTS AND STUDS, FATIQUE FAILURE OF THE BOLTS/STUDS, AND SEPARATION OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND HILLY TERRAIN, WHICH WERE UNSUITABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1992 · cases in 1992
- Place
- Weston, West Virginia · Louis Bennett Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N99693 · registry record · serial 25-0548
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER BEING ALERTED TO AN OIL STREAK ALONG THE SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT CHECKED THE OIL AND THEN DEPARTED ON A NIGHT FLIGHT OVER HILLY TERRAIN. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED 'MOTOR TROUBLES' TO APPROACH CONTROL AND RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. THIS AIRPORT HAD NO RUNWAY LIGHTING. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN PARTIAL POWER FOR ABOUT 14 MINUTES. DURING THIS TIME, THE ATC CONTROLER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN ATTEMPTS TO TURN ON THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AT THE CLOSEST AIRPORT, AND WAS UNAWARE THE LIGHTS WERE OUT OF SERVICE. THE PILOT THEN REPORTED 'ITS DEAD' AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT. HE WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT THE UNLIT AIRPORT, DESPITE GUIDANCE FROM ATC AND ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHICH WAS IN THE VICINITY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN AND WAS DESTROYED. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NO. 1 CYLINDER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE CRANKCASE IN FLIGHT. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE OF FRETTING DAMAGE ON THE ATTACHMENT FLANGE AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ATTACHING THROUGH BOLTS AND HOLD DOWN STUDS.
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: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRW Charleston WV at 11:30 pm
- Destination: MGW Morgantown WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,195 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from CKB, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N99693 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Mooney M-20 6,245 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Mooney 5,394 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB3 1,907 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- West Virginia International Yeager · departed from
- Morgantown Muni/Walter L Bill Hart Field · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in West Virginia 424 since 1982 · 54 in the last ten years
- West Virginia 885 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/BFO92FA152.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.