Mooney M20 accident near Manchester, New Hampshire, March 27, 1988
On March 27, 1988 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N2746W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manchester, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL IMPROPERLY INSTALLED THE NUMBER TWO CONNECTING ROD (P/N L-10646) CAUSING IT TO SEPARATE, CREATE A HOLE IN THE ENGINE CASE, LOSS OF ENGINE OIL AND ENGINE POWER. DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION, HE PERFORMED A WHEELS UP LANDING ON A HIGHWAY BRIDGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1988 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Manchester, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N2746W · no longer on the register · serial 1042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND AFTER REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 2,000 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND AT THE SAME TIME OIL SPLATTERED ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY WHEELS UP LANDING ON A BRIDGE ON ROUTE 93 IN HOOKSETT, NEW HAMPSHIRE. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE UPPER CASE AT THE NO. 2 CYLINDER AND A FRACTURED AND DEFOREMED NO. 2 CONNECTING ROD. METALLURGICAL EXAM INDICATED THAT THE CONNECTING ROD BOLT NUT ON THE NO.2 CYLINDER BACKED COMPLETELY OFF THE BOLT.
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
- Flight time: 1,870 hours in all; 370 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,870 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MHT Manchester NH
- Destination: Concord NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.