Mooney M20J accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, September 2, 1993
On September 2, 1993 at about 3:14 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N191ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach Regional airport). It was an instructional 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
CONTAMINATION/BLOCKAGE OF THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1993 · about 3:14 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach Regional
- 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
- N191ER · no longer on the register · serial 24-3252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND WITH UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AHEAD AND INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING, BANKED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT AND LANDED HARD ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND BOTH WING FUEL TANK SUMP DRAINS AND THE GASCOLATOR WERE DRAINED TO CHECK FOR CONTAMINANTS; NONE WERE FOUND. A TEST PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED AND THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE SERVO WAS DISASSAMBLED WHICH REVEALED CONTAMINANT RESEMBLING GASKET MATERIAL INSIDE THE MIXTURE HOUSING ASSEMBLY. ACCORDING TO OVERHAUL PERSONNEL, THE LOCATION OF THE CONTAMINANT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE SERVO HAD ACCUMULATED 498.5 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,486 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 31, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7L, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:21 pm from DAB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.