Mooney M20B accident near Marlboro, New Jersey, August 31, 1987
On August 31, 1987 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20B, registered N77DL, was destroyed in an accident near Marlboro, New Jersey (Marlboro 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
- August 31, 1987 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marlboro, New Jersey · Marlboro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20B · all M20Bs on the register
- Registration
- N77DL · no longer on the register · serial 1839
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE PLT'S 1ST APCH TO LAND, HE NOTED A WIND SHIFT & MADE A GO-AROUND. HE SAID THE WIND SHIFTED BACK IN FAVOR OF RWY 27, SO HE ATTEMPTED ANOTHER LANDING WITH A LONGER, LOWER APCH TO ACCOMMODATE THE WINDS. ALSO, HE NOTED THERE WERE TREES NEAR THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT ON THE 2ND APCH, HE FLARED OVER THE 'NUMBERS' & THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY. SUSPECTING ANOTHER WIND REVERSAL, HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND AGAIN. HOWEVER, ON THE 2ND GO-AROUND, THE ACFT HIT THE TOPS OF TREES NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 572 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lakewood NJ at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,170 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.