Mooney M20J accident near Bowie, Maryland, September 12, 2019
On September 12, 2019 at about 3:20 pm local time, a 1978 Mooney M20J, registered N202JB, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Bowie, Maryland (Freeway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A blockage of the pitot static system that preclude the airspeed indicator from displaying speeds greater than 40 mph, which led the pilot to abort the landing and overrun the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2019 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bowie, Maryland · Freeway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J No Series, built 1978 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N202JB · no longer on the register · serial 24-0644
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and noted no anomalies. The pilot initiated the takeoff roll and noted that the airplane’s airspeed never rose above 40 mph. The airplane was about one-third to halfway down the 2,420-ft runway when the pilot elected to abort the takeoff then overran the departure end of the runway. The airplane broke through the airport perimeter fence and struck a car on a highway just off the airport property, which resulted in the left wing separating from the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane was unable to find any anomalies with the airspeed indicator, pitot tube, or pitot static system between the left-wing root and the airspeed indicator that would have precluded normal operation. Due to the wing’s impact damage, investigators were unable to functionally test the portion of the pitot system between the pitot tube and the left-wing root. It is possible that the pitot static system was blocked during the accident flight, preventing the airspeed indicator from displaying airspeeds above 40 mph and leading the pilot to decide to abort the takeoff, then the blockage became dislodged during the accident sequence.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Instrument panel › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Navigation system › Pitot/static system › Damaged/degraded
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,148 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,016 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 12, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,439 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 2019; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,899 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A386D (piston); 4,439 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W00 Bowie MD at 3:20 pm
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 2,420 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 3:22 pm from CGS, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 22, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.