Mooney M20F accident near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, October 9, 2006
On October 9, 2006 at about 7:17 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3447N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsville, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of aircraft control, for unknown reasons, while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2006 · about 7:17 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3447N · no longer on the register · serial 680056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and private pilot/owner departed from their home airport, for the purpose of conducting a biennial flight review. Radar data indicated the airplane climbed to an altitude of 3,400 feet mean sea level (msl), and began maneuvering between the altitudes of 3,500 feet to 3,800 feet, at groundspeeds ranging between 109-131 knots. The airplane continued to maneuver, and the speed gradually decreased from 101 knots to 65 knots, as the altitude decreased from 3,700 to 2,800 feet. At some point during the descent, the airplane entered a spin which continued until it impacted the ground. The private pilot had approximately 1,207 hours of total flight experience at the time of the accident. All of his flight time during the previous 6 years was accumulated in the accident airplane. The flight instructor reported over 10,800 hours of total flight experience. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. The private pilot experienced a heart attack 3 years prior to the accident, and the FAA issued him Special Issuance Medical Certificates on three occasions preceding the accident. The pilot had developed an intermittent abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) approximately 10 months prior to the accident, and began taking a blood thinner (warfarin) to reduce his risk for stroke. The pilot's FAA medical records did not note whether the pilot had any symptoms with the atrial fibrillation or how frequently he experienced it, and information submitted to the FAA by the pilot indicated that he was on an inadequate dose of warfarin to effectively reduce his stroke risk; nonetheless, the FAA most recently authorized Special Issuance of a medical certificate two months prior to the accident.
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: 1,207 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,095 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,748 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWQ Monongahela PA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: FWQ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from AGC, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.