Mooney M20M accident near Montpelier, Vermont, January 21, 2000
On January 21, 2000 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Mooney M20M, registered N223KT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montpelier, Vermont (Edward F. Knapp State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A blocked crankcase breather line due to ice and improper maintenance which resulted in further restricting the line. A factor in this accident was the below freezing outside air temperature.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2000 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Montpelier, Vermont · Edward F. Knapp State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N223KT · no longer on the register · serial 27-0067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A few minutes after takeoff, the pilot realized the engine was not developing full manifold pressure; shortly thereafter, the engine lost all oil pressure. When the engine began to vibrate, the pilot shut down the engine and performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane revealed the engine's cowling was covered with oil, and the engine's crankshaft seal had been 'blown outward.' Ice was observed in the engine crankcase breather line. Additionally, a 'bend' was found in the breather line near a clamp that was installed over the breather line vent hole. There were no other discrepancies found with airplane. The outside air temperature reported at the airport about the time of the accident was 0 degrees F. The airplane was last flown 1 week prior to the accident. The airplane was kept in an unheated hanger; however, the engine was preheated using a built-in engine heater to an oil temperature of 40 degrees F, just prior to engine start.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,173 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 973 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 851 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1999; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MPV at 5:25 pm
- Destination: CDW Caldwell NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft; scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:32 pm from MPV, 6 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.