Mooney M20K accident near Danby, Vermont, November 14, 1987
On November 14, 1987 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N252ZF, was destroyed in an accident near Danby, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- November 14, 1987 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Danby, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252ZF · no longer on the register · serial 25-1106
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING EXTENSIVE ENGINE SURGES. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT MANEUVERING IN A HIGHLY ERRATIC MANNER, THEN BEGIN A NOSE DIVE FOLLOWED BY ACFT ROTATION. ALL THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE ACFT'S ENGINE SURGE TO A HIGH SETTING JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE ACFT WAS HEADING WEST WHEN IT IMPACTED IN A 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND A 45 DEGREE RIGHT BANK. THE ACFT DEBRIS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT A 100 BY 200 FOOT AREA OF THE DENSELY FORRESTED, HARD GROUND. THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS, MODERATE RIME OR MIXED ICING, AND TURBULENCE WITH VISIBILITIES BETWEEN 3 TO 5 MILES. THE LOCAL WEATHER WAS AS FORECAST ACCORDING TO LOCAL WITNESSES AND BY AIRLINE EMPLOYEES.
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: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 18, 1987; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-MB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTO East Hampton NY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: RUT Rutland VT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 pm from RUT, 12 miles away
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.