Mooney M20E accident near Stow, Massachusetts, September 26, 1992
On September 26, 1992, a Mooney M20E, registered N1338W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stow, Massachusetts (Minuteman 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARKNESS, A LACK OF RUNWAY LIGHTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL QUES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1992
- Place
- Stow, Massachusetts · Minuteman
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N1338W · no longer on the register · serial 226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS AT NIGHT FOR CURRENCY. HE STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND WITH THE LANDING LIGHT OFF, AND THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS OFF THE RUNWAY, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO VEER LEFT. THE LEFT WING HIT BUSH(ES) AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED. THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WAS A LACK OF RUNWAY LIGHTING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,140 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,060 as pilot in command; 476 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1992; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from BED, 10 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.