Mooney M20J accident near New Haven, Connecticut, June 9, 1993
On June 9, 1993 at about 1:45 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N1157B, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Haven, Connecticut (Tweed New Haven airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT ENCOUNTERING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW AMBIENT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE LACK OF RUNWAY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1993 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- New Haven, Connecticut · Tweed New Haven
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N1157B · registry record · serial 24-1287
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT COMPLETED A TOUCH-AND-GO ON RWY 20 FROM A SIMULATED ENGINE-OUT APPROACH, AND ON UPWIND REQUESTED A SHORT APPROACH TO RWY 32. THE TOWER CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO LAND ON RWY 32, AND WAS LAST OBSERVED STARTING A LEFT CROSSWIND. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED BRUSH AND CARTWHEELED ACROSS A ROAD, LEAVING PROPELLER STRIKE MARKS ON THE ROAD. ONE PROP BLADE WAS FOUND BENT FORWARD; THE OTHER BLADE TIP WAS SEVERED - THE SEVERED END HAD SIGNS OF DEFORMATION & BENDING MOMENTS FORWARD ACROSS THE CORD OF THE BLADE. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED AND NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. DEPARTURE OFF RWY 20, WITH A LEFT TURN TOWARD RWY 32, PROVIDES A PILOT WITH A VIEW OF LONG ISLAND SOUND AND THE LIGHTS FROM THE SHORE OF LONG ISLAND LESS THAN 20 MI AWAY. THERE WAS NO VASI OR REIL FOR RWY 32.
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: 1,015 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 955 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,940 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HVN
- Destination: HVN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,634 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from HVN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC93LA108.