Mooney M20C accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, September 12, 2007
On September 12, 2007 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6731U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania (Lehigh Valley Intl. Airport). It was an instructional 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
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2007 · about 10:15 pm local time · cases in 2007
- Place
- Allentown, Pennsylvania · Lehigh Valley Intl. Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6731U · registry record · serial 2463
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the Mooney M20C was returning to land at his home airport following a solo cross country flight. During the approach to the runway, there was a crosswind, and when the airplane touched down it bounced twice. After the third touchdown, the left wing rose while the right wing dropped, and the pilot "didn't straighten [the airplane] out correctly." The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway, and the right wing struck a sign. The pilot did not report any mechanical abnormalities associated with 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: student
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IPT Williamsport PA
- Destination: ABE Allentown PA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:20 pm from ABE
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6731U on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Mooney M-20 6,245 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Mooney 5,394 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 1,070 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lehigh Valley International · nearest airport
- Williamsport Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Pennsylvania 1,836 since 1982 · 234 in the last ten years
- Pennsylvania 6,195 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC07CA231.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.