Mooney M20 accident near Brogue, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1990
On January 19, 1990 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20, registered N231FH, was destroyed in an accident near Brogue, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
OFF AIRPORT LANDING DUE TO AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE NO. 2 CRANKSHAFT BEARING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1990 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brogue, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20 · all M20s on the register
- Registration
- N231FH · no longer on the register · serial 25-0216
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LANCASTER, THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED ENGINE NOISE, LOW OIL PRESSURE AND HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE. THE PILOT INFORMED LNS TOWER AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, CUT THE MASTER SWITCH OFF AND ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 75 YARDS DOWN A SMALL RAVINE AND ERUPTED IN FIRE.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-GB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Gaithersburg MD at 2:00 pm
- Destination: LNS Lancaster PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from CXY, 20 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.