Mooney M20R accident near Dundee, New York, December 23, 2010
On December 23, 2010, a Mooney M20R, registered N968SM, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Dundee, New York (Penn Yan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to operate in known moderate-to-severe icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2010
- Place
- Dundee, New York · Penn Yan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20R · all M20Rs on the register
- Registration
- N968SM · no longer on the register · serial 29-0348
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departing on the night instrument meteorological conditions flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing that included an airmen's meteorological information for moderate icing conditions below 12,000 feet and two pilot reports, one for light-to-moderate and one for moderate-to-severe icing conditions. The flight progressed toward the destination airport and the pilot was advised by an air traffic controller of pilot reports for moderate and severe icing conditions in the surrounding areas. The airplane intercepted the initial approach fix, turned onto the runway approach course, and began a normal descent through clouds without incident until it veered to the northeast and radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted the ground about 1 mile north-northwest of the last radar target and 8 miles south of the destination airport. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. Evidence of significant in-flight ice accumulation was observed on the base of a communications antenna mounted on the top of the fuselage and on the upper surface of the inboard two-thirds of the left horizontal stabilizer. At the time of the accident, freezing precipitation, which coated the ground with ice, was present in the vicinity of the accident site. The airplane was not equipped with deicing systems and was not approved for flight into known icing conditions.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Structural icing during approach
- Loss of control in flight during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,775 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 11, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 2010; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rockland Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 11:40 pm
- Destination: PEO Penn Yan NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 01, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.