Mooney M20E accident near Shady Side, Maryland, October 22, 1995
On October 22, 1995 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N5744Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shady Side, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the partial loss of engine power due to a leaking fuel line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1995 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Shady Side, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N5744Q · no longer on the register · serial 765
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight at 1,400 feet MSL when the engine lost partial power. All attempts to regain engine power were unsuccessful. During the forced landing to a field the airplane collided with trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The left fuel tank was found empty, and the right fuel tank was half full. The engine operated satisfactorily during a test run; however, it was noted that fuel was leaking from the fuel line between the engine driven fuel pump and the fuel injector. Further examination of the fuel line revealed it was brittle.
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
- Flight time: 533 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,460 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1995; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESN Easton MD at 9:50 pm
- Destination: W00 Mitchellville MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.