Mooney M20J accident near St. Cloud, Florida, February 25, 1999
On February 25, 1999 at about 3:08 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4671H, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Cloud, Florida (Kissimmee Municipal airport). It was a personal 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
The improper installation of the propeller by maintenance personnel resulting in fretting of the face of the propeller hub and fatigue failure of the No. 1 propeller blade. Also, the unsuitable terrain encountered during the descent for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1999 · about 3:08 pm local time
- Place
- St. Cloud, Florida · Kissimmee Municipal · map
- 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
- N4671H · registry record · serial 24-0806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While descending, the pilot noted a slight vibration when the throttle only was reduced. He then felt a jolt and the windscreen became covered with oil. He reduced the throttle to idle, initiated a descent for a forced landing in a field, and while descending, the left wing collided with a tree. The airplane then touched down gear up in the field, bounced, and came to rest upright. Post accident examination revealed the No. 1 propeller blade was fractured with only a segment of that blade inside the propeller hub. The No. 2 propeller blade outer bearing race was cracked, and fretting was noted on the face of the propeller hub. Metallurgical examination of the fractured propeller blade revealed evidence of fatigue with no evidence of corrosion or mechanical damage. The No. 2 propeller blade outer bearing race was cracked due to overstrees. Examination of the propeller hub revealed severe fretting inboard of the attach bolts and evidence of gouging on the pilot bore. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the propeller was last installed July 15, 1997; and had accumulated 150.81 hours since last installation at the time of the propeller blade fracture.
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: 2,500 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,379 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1998; 69 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: FPR Fort Pierce FL at 2:35 pm
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MCO, 20 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.