Mooney M20J accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, July 4, 2002
On July 4, 2002 at about 2:49 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N58166, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean City, New Jersey (Ocean City Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his inadequate compensation for wind. A factor was a wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2002 · about 2:49 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, New Jersey · Ocean City Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N58166 · registry record · serial 24-1588
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot overflew the airport and entered a left downwind. He aborted his first landing attempt because his airspeed was too high. During the second attempt, he landed hard, the airplane bounced, and the pilot added power. A gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left, and the pilot added full power to go around. The airplane continued to the left, the left wing contacted sawgrass and the airplane spun around. The airplane came to a full stop, upright, facing the opposite direction of travel.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 264 hours in all
- Last flight review: May 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming 10-360-A3B60 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40N Coatesville PA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 26N Ocean City NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 2,973 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from ACY, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.