Mooney M20J accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, August 31, 1991
On August 31, 1991, a Mooney M20J, registered N296TH, was destroyed in an accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts (Nantucket airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DESCENT BELOW THE ILS GLIDE PATH AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A MISSED APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1991
- Place
- Nantucket, Massachusetts · Nantucket
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N296TH · no longer on the register · serial 24-3144
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT THE WEATHER WAS MARGINAL AT HIS DESTINATION AND ALTERNATE AIRPORTS. HE WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT HIS DESTINATION, SO HE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WITH KNOWN LOW CEILING AND VISIBILITY. DURING THE APPROACH, HE OBSERVED A 'FULL SCALE DEFLECTION IN AZIMUTH AND A FLY UP INDICATION ON THE GLIDE SLOPE NEEDLE.' HE STARTED A MISSED APPROACH, BUT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A HILL AT THAT TIME. THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH WAS CHECKED BY THE FAA AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. OTHER PLILOTS MAKING THE APPROACH DID NOT REPORT ANY DIFFICULTIES. THE REPORTED WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS AT MINIMUMS FOR THAT APPROACH. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME OF 31 HOURS.
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: 604 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 540 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: N88 Doylestown PA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MVY Martha'S Vineyd MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,303 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.