Mooney M20J accident near Brewster, Massachusetts, November 19, 1994
On November 19, 1994 at about 1:16 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N5681Y, was destroyed in an accident near Brewster, Massachusetts (Chatham Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A MISSED APPROACH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITION WITH A LOW CEILING AND RAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1994 · about 1:16 am local time
- Place
- Brewster, Massachusetts · Chatham Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N5681Y · no longer on the register · serial 24-1399
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR AN IFR FLIGHT & WAS TOLD THE WEATHER WAS BEING INFLUENCED BY A STATIONARY HURRICANE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. HE WAS ADVISED OF 3 AIRMET'S, WITH A FORECAST OF RAIN, DRIZZLE, FOG, MODERATE ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 15,000' & ICING ABOVE 12,000' ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THERE WAS NO WEATHER STATION AT THE DESTINATION, BUT AT THE TIME OF THE BRIEFING, THE HYANNIS WEATHER WAS IN PART: 3300' OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 7 MI WITH OCCASIONAL LIGHT DRIZZLE & WIND 110 DEG AT 12 KTS. DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER WHILE ON AN NDB APPROACH. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE & INITIATED A MISSED APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED 800' IN 12 SECONDS (TO 1600' MSL), THEN RADAR & RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA, WHILE IN A STEEP DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT. THE 2045 EST WEATHER AT HYANNIS WAS IN PART: 100' OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1-1/4 MI WITH LIGHT RAIN & FOG, TEMPERATURE 60 DEGREES, DEW POINT 58 DEGREES & WIND 140 DEG AT 12 KTS.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,080 hours in all; 609 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 984 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ at 11:35 pm
- Destination: CQX Chatham MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 1.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from HYA, 9 miles away
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.