Mooney M20M accident near Manville, New Jersey, April 4, 2022
On April 4, 2022 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 2006 Mooney M20M, registered N41XL, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Manville, New Jersey (Central Jersey Regional Airpor airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s delayed go-around decision following an encounter with a tailwind during landing, which resulted in an inability to climb and subsequent impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2022 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Manville, New Jersey · Central Jersey Regional Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M, built 2006 · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N41XL · no longer on the register · serial 27-0355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, prior to landing, he obtained weather information as specified on the instrument approach procedure chart, which was from an airport about 18 nm from the landing airport. The wind was reported as being from 350° at 7 knots, which favored runway 07. During landing, the airplane floated longer than anticipated and bounced upon touchdown. The pilot added power and elected to do a go-around maneuver; however, the airplane was unable to attain a sufficient rate of climb and impacted trees at the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A witness stated that the weather obtained from the airport specified on the instrument approach plate did not match the conditions at the airport at the time of the accident, which included a 10-kt tailwind on runway 07. The nearest airport's weather observation system, about 7 miles from the accident airport, included wind at 310° at 11 kts gusting to 17 kts. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 566 hours in all; 462 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 525 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 8, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,586.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 2021; 202.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B (piston); 1,789 hours total
- Operator: Guthrie Group INC
The flight
- Departed from: GSO Greensboro NC at 2:42 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 3,507 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from SMQ, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSMQ 041653Z AUTO 31011G17KT 10SM FEW049 11/M02 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP159 T01111017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 2, 2022. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Area Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 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.