Mooney M20J accident near Mitchellville, Maryland, September 3, 1993
On September 3, 1993 at about 4:41 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N7666P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mitchellville, Maryland (Freeway airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CORROSION IN THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. RELATED FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1993 · about 4:41 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchellville, Maryland · Freeway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N7666P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1673
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED HIS PRETAKEOFF CHECK AND RUN-UP, SUCCESSFULLY. HE STATED THAT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, AT ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNABLE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT 1/2 MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT WHILE IN MAINTENANCE TO DETERMINE TWO PRIOR PARTIAL POWER LOSSES DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE WAS REMOVED TO A HANGAR WHERE AN ENGINE RUN WAS ACCOMPLISHED AFTER A SUBSTITUTE PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED. THE ENGINE ATTAINED OVER 2675 RPM AND 26 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SERVO INLET SCREENS REVEALED EVIDENCE OF RUST AND CONTAMINATION. FURTHER TESTING OF THE SERVO INDICATED WATER AND CORROSION IN THE DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1993; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W00 at 4:41 pm
- Destination: W00
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,425 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from ADW, 10 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.
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.