Mooney M20B accident near Landover, Maryland, August 24, 1993
On August 24, 1993 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20B, registered N74580, was substantially damaged in an accident near Landover, Maryland (Andrew Afb 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
FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PROPELLER BLADE, WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION AND SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1993 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Landover, Maryland · Andrew Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20B · all M20Bs on the register
- Registration
- N74580 · no longer on the register · serial 1909
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE INBOUND TO THE OUTER MARKER ON AN ILS APPROACH, THE TIP OF A PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATED AND A SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION OCCURRED. ALSO, THE RIGHT AILERON BECAME PARTIALLY SEPARATED AND THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING ROLL CONTROL. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR TO REDUCE DRAG. AFTER CLEARING OBSTACLES, HE MADE A WHEELS-UP LANDING IN A FIELD ON HILLY TERRAIN. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE PROPELLER BLADE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.
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: 263 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1993; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W32 Clinton MD
- Destination: W32
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19R, 9,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ADW, 7 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.