Mooney M20K accident near Swanton, Ohio, May 17, 1994
On May 17, 1994 at about 11:37 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N1007A, was destroyed in an accident near Swanton, Ohio. It was a business 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
FAILURE OF AN ENGINE CYLINDER WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ESTABLISH THE PROPER DESCENT PATH TO AN AIRPORT THAT WAS WITHIN THE GLIDE DISTANCE OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE OVERGROSS WEIGHT CONDITION OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1994 · about 11:37 pm local time
- Place
- Swanton, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1007A · no longer on the register · serial 25-0559
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN DESCENDING THROUGH 10,400 FEET, WHEN THE PLT REPORTED A VIBRATION AND ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. ATC PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS TO AN AIRPORT 15 MILES AWAY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE ELIMINATED THE VIB BY FEATHERING THE PROP. WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 3 1/2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PLT REPORTED THE FIELD INSIGHT. THE ACFT STRUCK TREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. THE #6 CYL HEAD BARREL WAS FOUND CRACKED APPROX 80% AROUND. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH SEVERAL STCS WHICH INCLUDED A HORSEPOWER INCREASE OF 50%, A FULL FEATHERING PROP, AN INCREASED GROSS WT OF 117 LBS, SPEEDBRAKES AND LONG RANGE FUEL TANKS. THE ACFT WAS 500 LBS OVER GROSS AT TAKEOFF, AND WAS 342 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM FOR LANDING, AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE RECOMMENDED ENGINE OUT AIRSPEED WAS 87 KNOTS. THE CALIBRATED AIRSPEED DURING THE DESCENT WAS CALCULATED AT 147 KNOTS. AT MAX GROSS WT AND 87 KNOTS, THE ACFT HAD A GLIDING DISTANCE OF 22 MI FROM 10,000 FEET. SEVERAL LONG FARM FIELDS EXISTED LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE'S DESCENT PATH.
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: 2,210 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2,070 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1993; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,017 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 8:51 pm
- Destination: DET Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from TOL, 1 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.