Mooney M20J accident near Brookline, New Hampshire, January 17, 1991
On January 17, 1991 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N804DW, was destroyed in an accident near Brookline, New Hampshire. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TO ATTAIN REMEDIAL ACTION AFTER CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1991 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Brookline, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N804DW · no longer on the register · serial 24-1702-14
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT (A RATED PILOT) & THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK OFF AT 1645 EST ON A FLIGHT TO PROVIDE EXPERIENCE IN COMPLEX AIRCRAFT TO THE STUDENT. THE LESSON WAS TO INCLUDE MINIMUM CONTROL AIRSPEEDS/STALLS, STEEP TURNS, AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON A WOODED HILLTOP. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP DESCENT. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO TREES WAS DIRECTLY ABOVE THE WRECKAGE. CUT TREE LIMBS WERE FND IN THAT AREA. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS WERE COMPRESSED REARWARD, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DISPLACED FORWARD, THE BACK OF THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT WAS DISPLACED REARWARD, AND THE LEFT FRONT SEAT WAS DISPLACED TO THE RIGHT & SLIGHTLY REARWARD. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. OFFICIAL TWILIGHT WAS AT 1711 EST.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,549 hours in all; 357 in this make and model; 215 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,489 as pilot in command; 1,146 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: ASH Nashua NH at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 40,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:45 pm from ASH, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.