Mooney M20 accident near Oxford, Connecticut, September 6, 2024
On September 6, 2024 at about 7:25 pm local time, a 1968 Mooney M20, registered N651RK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Oxford, Connecticut (Waterbury-Oxford Airport). It was an instructional 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 seizure of the right main landing gear extension rod bearing and subsequent buckling of the rod, resulting in a landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2024 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Connecticut · Waterbury-Oxford Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 F, built 1968 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N651RK · registry record · serial 680125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting the third landing on a training flight with his instructor. The airplane touched down normally with no crab or slip and the wind was calm. Shortly after touchdown, he heard a loud noise, and the right wing slowly lowered to the runway and scraped the surface. The airplane departed the runway to the right and came to a stop in the grass. The right main and nose landing gear collapsed; the left main gear remained extended. The airplane’s right wing was substantially damaged during the accident. Postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed the forward end bearing on the right main landing gear extension rod was seized, and the rod was bent about 30°. Also, the rod ends on the two nose landing gear extension rods had been pulled out and the shear pins were sheared. Damage to the airplane prevented a functional test of the landing gear.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 107 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,716 hours in all; 2,077 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 2,625 as pilot in command; 237 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,716 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 1,050 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,801 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:12 pm from OXC
Weather report (METAR): KOXC 061912Z 11006KT 10SM BKN025 BKN043 24/18 A3009 RMK AO2 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Main Wreckage (FAA Photo)
Photograph 2 – Main Wreckage (FAA Photo)
Photograph 3 – Right Wing Damage (FAA Photo)
Photograph 4 – Right Wing Damage (FAA Photo)
Photograph 5 – Bent Right Main Landing Gear Extension Rod (FAA Photo)
Photograph 6 - Bent Right Main Landing Gear Extension Rod and Nose Gear Extension Rods (NTSB Photo)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2025. 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 | Memorandum for Record - NTSB Materials Laboratory | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 7 pages · our copy | 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.