Mooney M20K accident near Tangier Island, Virginia, April 11, 1995
On April 11, 1995 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N331DF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tangier Island, Virginia (Tangier Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an inflight collision with a tree. Contributing factors are a crosswind and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1995 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tangier Island, Virginia · Tangier Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N331DF · registry record · serial 25-0003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED A 45 MINUTE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 02 AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO VEER LEFT, AND THE PILOT ABORTED THE LANDING. THE PILOT INITIATED A CLIMB AND ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A 2-INCH DIAMETER TREE; THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. WINDS REPORTED AT AN AIRPORT 26 MILES AWAY WERE FROM 050 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,793 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 1994; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40N Coatsville PA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: TGI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 2,950 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from WAL, 26 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.