Mooney M20M accident near Hartford, Connecticut, July 10, 1996
On July 10, 1996 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20M, registered N1085W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartford, Connecticut (Hartford-Brainard airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's inadequate control of the airplane during the approach to landing/landing roll. A related factor is the pilot's inadequate remedial action (attempted go-around).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1996 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Connecticut · Hartford-Brainard
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1085W · registry record · serial 27-0043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane was too fast on final approach to land, so he requested and received clearance to perform a 360-degree turn to slow the airplane before landing. When he flared the airplane for landing, it seemed to float. When he attempted to apply full throttle for a go-around, the throttle control would not go in. The airplane touched down more than halfway down the runway, and ran off the departure end of the runway where it collided with a fence. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomaly. Flight control continuity was confirmed, and throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were examined, with no anomalies noted.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 381 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 286 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 400 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AFIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 4:35 pm
- Destination: HFD CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,315 ft by 71 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from HFD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1085W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.