Mooney M20J accident near Rocky Hill, New Jersey, April 7, 2005
On April 7, 2005, a Mooney M20J, registered N4398H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rocky Hill, New Jersey (Princeton Airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent impact with terrain. Factors included the night lighting conditions, and the airplane approaching the opposite runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2005
- Place
- Rocky Hill, New Jersey · Princeton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4398H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the short final leg of the approach to the destination airport, the pilot observed an airplane at the opposite end of the runway and initiated a go-around. He turned the airplane right, applied full power, and retracted the landing gear, flaps and speed brakes. As he was attempting to adjust the elevator trim in a nose down direction, and was holding forward pressure on the control yoke, the airplane "stalled," and the airplane impacted the ground. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "I should have done a go-around straight down the runway, not a 45-degree turn off airport."
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 339 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,926 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 2004; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WWD Wildwood NJ
- Destination: 39N Rocky Hill NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from TTN, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.