Mooney M20C accident near Woodbine, New Jersey, October 23, 2018
On October 23, 2018 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1966 Mooney M20C, registered N9667M, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Woodbine, New Jersey (Woodbine Municipal Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and the airplane experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2018 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Woodbine, New Jersey · Woodbine Municipal Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C NO SERIES, built 1966 · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9667M · no longer on the register · serial 670003
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking off for a personal flight. According to onboard data, when the airplane reached about 150 ft above ground level, the pitch began to increase; over the next 4 seconds, the airplane’s altitude began to increase as the groundspeed decreased. The airplane then banked to the left and descended nose-down to impact east of the runway. A witness observed that when the airplane reached about 100 ft above the runway, the landing gear was retracted. He then he diverted his attention and shortly after, he heard an impact. The airplane was recorded by airport security video just before ground contact in a near vertical descent (consistent with stall) with the landing gear extended. The pilot previously reported having physical difficulties manually retracting the landing gear, and as a result, he would use one hand to hold onto something in the cockpit to brace himself, and the other hand to operate the retracting handle assembly “Johnson bar.” To assist in retracting the landing gear, the pilot would also slow the airplane, which was supported by the data recorded by the Stratus 2S for the accident flight and a previous uneventful flight that was examined. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine, engine systems, and landing gear system revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. It likely that the pilot intentionally increased the airplane's nose-up pitch and decreased the airplane’s speed in order to assist him retract the landing gear. The ultimate result was the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an inadvertent stall.
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
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,496 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,630.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 2018; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 3,323 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OBI Woodbine NJ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: OBI Woodbine NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,074 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from OBI
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.
Other NTSB records under N9667M 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.