Mooney M20K accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 28, 1994
On December 28, 1994 at about 9:17 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N3983H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Crystal airport). 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 pilot's misjudging of distance and airspeed during the approach to landing which resulted in an overrun. Factors associated with the accident were the separation of the exhaust pipe and the pilot's not understanding communications from the air traffic control tower.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1994 · about 9:17 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Crystal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N3983H · no longer on the register · serial 25-0387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND LOST POWER. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS INITIALLY CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23R FOLLOWED BY A CLEARANCE TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. HE STATED HE DID NOT INITIALLY UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS CLEARED FOR ANY RUNWAY SO HE SET UP TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23R. HE STATED HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY BUT HE CONTINUED THE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO A STOP AFTER CONTACTING AN AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE. A POST ACCIDENT TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED IT PRODUCED POWER TO 2700 RPM. THE ONLY ANOMALY FOUND WAS A SEPARATION OF THE #6 CYLINDER EXHAUST PIPE NEAR ITS ENGINE MOUNTING FLANGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,479 hours in all; 403 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,741 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1995; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-MB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIC
- Destination: RFD Rockford IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23R, 3,264 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from MIC
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.
Other NTSB records under N3983H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.