Mooney M20C accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, October 12, 1985
On October 12, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N73SD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean City, New Jersey (Ocean City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- October 12, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, New Jersey · Ocean City
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N73SD · registry record · serial 20-1252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A BIRD WHILE DESCENDING FOR AN APCH TO LANDING AT OCEAN CITY. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED TO THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT WITH DIFFICULTY. A SUCCESSFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMLISHED. .
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: 929 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 929 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N14 Medford NJ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 26N Ocean City NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 21,000 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.