Mooney M20J accident near Davis, West Virginia, February 8, 1998
On February 8, 1998 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4120H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davis, West Virginia (Windwood Fly-In Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of power due to blockage of the fuel screen and one of the four fuel injector nozzles. A contributing factor was snow covered terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1998 · about 9:15 pm local time · cases in 1998
- Place
- Davis, West Virginia · Windwood Fly-In Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4120H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff and approximately 100 feet AGL, the engine began to run rough and lost power. The airplane touched down on a snow covered field, nosed over and came to rest inverted. The engine was tested and the fuel flow was found to fluctuate. The fuel injector servo system was tested and the following discrepancies were found: the safety wire attached to the plug utilized to adjust the diaphragms inside the fuel servo was missing its lead seal. One of the four fuel injector nozzles was blocked. Individual injector nozzles were tested. Debris blocked the flow in one nozzle, and the remainder of the fuel nozzles had an acceptable fuel stream. A representative from Aircraft Fuel Specialists, Ltd.. who conducted the testing, stated that the adjustment to the diaphragms would not cause the loss of power as described to him. He stated that the 'blockage of the inlet screen, which was completely plugged, and the one blocked nozzle were more a factor' in the loss of power.
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: 700 hours in all; 293 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 997 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1997; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WV62 at 8:30 pm
- Destination: CXY Harrisburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from EKN, 23 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4120H: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Mooney M-20 6,245 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Mooney 5,394 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D 74 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Windwood Fly-In Resort Airport · nearest airport
- Capital City Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in West Virginia 423 since 1982 · 53 in the last ten years
- West Virginia 886 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/IAD98LA026.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.