Mooney M20K accident near Islip, New York, September 21, 1996
On September 21, 1996 at about 2:47 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N3375X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Islip, New York (Long Island Mac Arthur airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), which resulted in an emergency/wheels-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1996 · about 2:47 pm local time
- Place
- Islip, New York · Long Island Mac Arthur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N3375X · no longer on the register · serial 670029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner of the airplane and a passenger departed on a local flight. After takeoff from runway 33L, at 200 to 300 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a left turn back to the airport, and made a wheels-up landing on the approach end of runway 10, heading in a westerly direction. The airplane then slid onto the grass between the taxiway and runway. Examination of the airplane by an FAA Inspector revealed fuel in the airplane's fuel tanks, lines, and filter. Examination of the engine revealed valve train continuity, compression in all cylinders, and spark from the magnetos. The airplane had not been flown for about 1 month, and was refueled just prior to the flight. The pilot was also an FAA certified mechanic. He stated that he had made a log book entry of the airplane's annual inspection and signed it off the evening after the accident, but he could not recall when the inspection was actually completed.
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
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 1,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,119 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISP at 2:46 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33L, 5,186 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from ISP
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.