Mooney 20J accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, January 8, 1995
On January 8, 1995 at about 9:53 pm local time, a Mooney 20J, registered N205MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the No. 3 connecting rod bolt due to oil starvation for undetermined reasons. This resulted in a total loss of engine power, forced landing, and subsequent ditching.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 1995 · about 9:53 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney 20J
- Registration
- N205MD · no longer on the register · serial 24-3013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he took off over the bay, climbed to 1,000 feet msl and leveled off. The engine was running rough and the oil pressure was decreasing. He notified the control tower he was returning to the airport. When he decreased power, the engine started to shake violently. A forced landing was made into a bay. The airplane was recovered and the engine was examined by the manufacturer in the presence of the FAA. Disassembly of the engine revealed a separation of the No. 3 connecting rod cap and bolts. Further examination of the components by the NTSB laboratory revealed a failure of the No. 3 connecting rod bolt due to oil starvation for undetermined reasons.
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: 669 hours in all; 574 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 603 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1994; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE at 9:49 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from PIE, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.