Princeton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Sunday, July 17, 1988 8:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE MOONEY M20F MADE A TAKEOFF AND AS THE PILOT TURNED CROSSWIND, HE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. HE RETURNED FOR A LANDING AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT. HE MADE EXTENSIVE GROUND RUNS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER HE DID NOT HAVE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL LOOK AT THE AIRCRAFT. ON THE SECOND TAKEOFF, HE AGAIN LOST POWER AND THIS TIME, MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS HAD SOOT ON THEM. THE FUEL INJECTOR SERVO, MANIFOLD, AND NOZZLES CHECKED OUT OK; HOWEVER, THE RUBBER INTAKE BOOT BETWEEN THE AIR FILTER AND THE FUEL SERVO WAS FOUND PARTIALLY COLLAPSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PRINCETON
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08540
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRINCETON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 39N
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 125
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2174
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38686
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6310Q
NTSB Number NYC88LA184
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 670403
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 3249
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MILLSTONE AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROAD 4
Aircraft Owner City PRINCETON
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08540
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LEO OTWAY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RD #4
Operator City PRINCETON
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08540
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 3105
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --