Mooney M20C accident near Mclean, New York, August 7, 1987
On August 7, 1987 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N3457X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mclean, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- August 7, 1987 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mclean, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3457X · no longer on the register · serial L-419-36A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN FOR ABOUT 1-1/2 HOURS WHEN THE PILOT BEGAN A DESCENT FROM 12000 FEET FOR AN APPROACH. HOWEVER AT 3500 FEET, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT FROM NORMAL CRUISE TO IDLE. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A CORN FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE NO MALFUNCTION OR MECHANICAL FAILURE COULD BE FOUND. THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY RUN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND TO NOTICE THE ENGINE CONTROL POSITIONS OR INDICATIONS.
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: 333 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 237 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,438 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1987; 2,402 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: Rangley ME at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Jamestown NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.