Mooney M20C accident near Wallingford, Connecticut, July 24, 1994
On July 24, 1994 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Mooney M20C, registered N6842N, was destroyed in an accident near Wallingford, Connecticut (Meriden Markham Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's decision to exhaust the fuel supply in the selected tank in-flight, and his failure to maintain the minimum stall speed during engine out conditions. This resulted in a complete loss of engine power and the inadvertent stall and impact with the ground. A factor in this accident was the inadequate altitude in which the pilot exhausted the fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1994 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wallingford, Connecticut · Meriden Markham Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20C · all M20Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6842N · no longer on the register · serial 680129
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD CONDUCTED A 30 TO 40 MINUTE LOCAL FLIGHT IN THE PILOT'S AIRPLANE, AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD THE AIRPORT REFUELER PUT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL INTO THE LEFT WING TANK ONLY. THE PILOT TOLD THE REFUELER HE WAS TRYING TO DRY OUT THE RIGHT TANK TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON IT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER THEN DEPARTED IN THE AIRPLANE FOR ANOTHER FLIGHT. SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT AT A LOW ALTITUDE, FLYING OVER PROPERTY OWNED BY THE PILOT. THE ENGINE WAS HEARD TO COUGH AND THEN STOP. THE AIRPLANE THEN PERFORMED A LEFT 180 DEGREE TURN AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A OPEN FIELD OWNED BY THE PILOT. EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED ON IMPACT, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO THE LEFT TANK. NO ENGINE OR AIRFRAME ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. THE ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A FUEL PRIMER SYSTEM.
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: airline transport pilot, foreign licence, private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 980 hours in all; 755 in this make and model; 890 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,943 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1994; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMK Meriden CT at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from HFD, 16 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.