Mooney M20F accident near Ferncliff, Virginia, December 28, 1997
On December 28, 1997 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N9717M, was destroyed in an accident near Ferncliff, Virginia. 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 improper installation of the engine oil temperature probe which resulted in oil starvation and a total loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's overflight of available airports in an effort to reach the 'Nearest Airport' displayed on his loran equipment during the subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1997 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Ferncliff, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9717M · no longer on the register · serial 670277
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight at 10,500 feet when the engine began to run rough. The pilot said after 30 seconds the engine seized and would not turn over. The airplane was 4 miles east of an airport at the time of the power loss, however, the pilot chose to turn towards an airport 20 miles to the north because it appeared on the 'Nearest Airport' display of the Loran equipment on board the airplane. The pilot determined he would not reach the intended airport and performed a forced landing to a field. Removal of the engine cowling revealed an oil soaked engine compartment and that 2 quarts of oil remained in the sump. The oil temperature probe was free of the engine case; attached only to the electrical lead. The threaded portion of the probe and its corresponding attachment point on the engine were undamaged. The probe's copper 'crush' washer displayed evidence of compression, however, no evidence of safety wire was found on the probe or the engine case. The engine was overhauled 30 days and 10 flight hours prior to the accident. The oil temperature probe was an airframe item that was removed and reinstalled after the engine overhaul.
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: 607 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 582 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1997; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKQ Wakefield VA at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from CHO, 25 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.