Mooney M-20C accident near Andrews, North Carolina, February 4, 2000
On February 4, 2000 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Mooney M-20C, registered N5743N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andrews, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in a timely manner while maneuvering in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, resulting in the loss of engine power and collision with trees during the subsequent emergency descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2000 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Andrews, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M-20C · all M-20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5743N · no longer on the register · serial 3069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was on an IFR flight plan between Richmond, Virginia, and Knoxville Downtown Island Airport, and according to transcripts of radio communications between N5743N and Atlanta ARTCC, the pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan to proceed VFR, (with Atlanta ARTCC flight following) to avoid icing conditions. Following a lengthy, circuitous route around the eastern and southern quadrants of his destination, he experienced a sudden loss of engine power and crashed into trees at the 4,200 foot level in mountains about 50 miles south of his destination. The pilot stated flight conditions at the time of engine power loss were light snow and about 30 degrees F ambient temperature. A subsequent engine teardown examination revealed low compression on number two cylinder due to worn piston rings and black, sooty, carbon deposits on the spark plug electrodes for cylinders number two, three, and four. Reference to the carburetor icing probability charts for the conditions present put this flight within the region labeled 'serious icing at cruise 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 465 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,890 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 4, 1999; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIC Richmond VA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: DKX Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from TYS, 54 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.