Mooney M20 accident near Morristown, New Jersey, February 20, 1988
On February 20, 1988 at about 5:30 am local time, a Mooney M20, registered N5782E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morristown, New Jersey (Morristown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- February 20, 1988 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Morristown, New Jersey · Morristown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N5782E · no longer on the register · serial 24-1515
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MOONEY CRASHED WHILE ON A ILS APPROACH AT NIGHT. THE PLT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO GET INTO TWO OTHER AIRPORTS DUE TO WEATHER AND AIR TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN SWAMPY AREA. THE PILOT HAD TOLD ATC THAT HE FELT UNEASY ABOUT HIS ENGINE; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT TOLD FAA PERS THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN FEELING WELL, BUT NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. THE FAA SAID THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE DESCENT RATE WAS 5 DEGREES. THE DESCENT RATE ON THE ILS IS 3 DEGREES. THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND WITH SUFFICENT FORCE TO DISLODGE AND THROW THE ENG ABOUT 175 FT FORWARD OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
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: 500 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1988; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3N6 Old Bridge NJ at 4:30 am
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:36 am from EWR, 12 miles away
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.