Mooney M20F accident near West Milford, New Jersey, July 21, 1986
On July 21, 1986 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N7040V, was destroyed in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey (Greenwood Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 21, 1986 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7040V · registry record · serial 22-1387
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG THE LANDING ROLL, THE PLT BELIEVED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT BRAKING, SO HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HE RPRTD THAT ON CLIMB-OUT, THE TAIL OF THE ACFT IMPACTED A 'HILL.' THE ACFT THEN CRASHED NOSE DOWN & WAS DESTROYED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: 3,855 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 3,690 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,872 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-AIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNN Willoughby OH at 12:35 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 2,750 ft by 52 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.