Mooney M20J accident near Danbury, Connecticut, December 5, 2000
On December 5, 2000 at about 4:38 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N4101H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Water/ice in the fuel system and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2000 · about 4:38 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N4101H · no longer on the register · serial 24-0616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sat on the ramp for about 2 1/2 weeks with the fuel tanks half filled. Outside air temperature had dipped to 18 degrees Fahrenheit the previous night, and was still below freezing about 3 hours before the accident. Temperature at the time of the accident was 43 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot did not check the fuel for water prior to the accident flight. After a normal start, run-up, and takeoff, the engine failed at 400 to 500 feet in the air, and the pilot made a forced landing. Evidence of water was subsequently found in a container that held fuel removed from the airplane.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,308 hours in all; 960 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 21,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2000; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DXR at 4:37 pm
- Destination: MRH Beaufort NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,422 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 109°F (43°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DXR, 1 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.