Mooney MO-20J accident near Seekonk, Massachusetts, November 14, 1993
On November 14, 1993 at about 5:26 am local time, a Mooney MO-20J, registered N4224H, was destroyed in an accident near Seekonk, Massachusetts (Theodore Francis Green St airport). It was a business 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
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AFTER THE ENGINE'S DRY AIR VACUUM PUMP FAILED AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRPLANE CONTROL DURING APPROACH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DRY AIR VACUUM PUMP FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1993 · about 5:26 am local time
- Place
- Seekonk, Massachusetts · Theodore Francis Green St
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney MO-20J
- Registration
- N4224H · registry record · serial 24-0669
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A FOUR HOUR IFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, IN CRUISE, THE ENGINE'S DRY AIR VACUUM PUMP FAILED. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO HIS FINAL DESTINATION, ABOUT 180 MILES AWAY, NAVIGATING BY HIS LORAN. THE PILOT WAS NOTIFIED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL THAT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO HIS DESTINATION, IMC COULD NOT BE AVOIDED. THE PILOT STATED THAT IMC WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND HE CONTINUED THE FLIGHT. DURING A NO GYRO VECTOR APPROACH TO THE LOCALIZER IN IMC, AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1,900 FEET MSL, THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE DRY AIR VACUUM PUMP WAS EXAMINED. THE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE INPUT SHAFT OF THE PUMP WAS FACTURED PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,686 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,595 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,005 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1993; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Oakland Pontiac MI at 1:58 am
- Destination: PVD Providence RI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23L, 7,166 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:27 am from PVD, 11 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.