Mooney 20E accident near Linden, New Jersey, December 24, 1993
On December 24, 1993, a Mooney 20E, registered N31617, was substantially damaged in an accident near Linden, New Jersey (Linden Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WHICH FAILED TO DETECT WATER-CONTAMINATED FUEL AND RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1993
- Place
- Linden, New Jersey · Linden Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney 20E
- Registration
- N31617 · registry record · serial 2A3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED 'LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER,' FOUND IN THE FUEL INJECTORS, GASCOLATOR, MAIN FUEL LINE, AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.
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: 547 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 547 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JZI Charleston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,139 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.