Mooney MO-20J accident near Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, April 7, 1985
On April 7, 1985 at about 10:09 pm local time, a Mooney MO-20J, registered N5764D, was destroyed in an accident near Lock Haven, Pennsylvania (Lock Haven airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1985 · about 10:09 pm local time
- Place
- Lock Haven, Pennsylvania · Lock Haven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney MO-20J
- Registration
- N5764D · registry record · serial 24-1475
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PREFLT WX BRIEFINGS WERE ISSUED TO THE PLT THAT FORECASTED MODERATE ICING & TURBULENCE FROM 3000 TO 14000 FT ACROSS THE PLANNED ROUTE. AN IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED AND DURING THE FLT THE PLT REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEMS AT 1100 FT MSL. DURING VECTORS TO CLOSEST ARPT PLT REPORTED ENG OPERATING & REQUESTED ARPT WITH BETTER WX. DURING VECTORS TO ARPT PLT REPORTED RIME ICE FORMING ON ACFT & ENG FAILURE AT 9000 FT MSL. THE ACFT WAS VECTORED TO THE CLOSET ARPT. RADAR CONTACT & COMMUNICATIONS WERE LOST & THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SOUTHEAST OF THE ARPT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 840 hours in all; 650 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: JHW Jamestown NY at 6:07 pm
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 3,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from UNV, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.