# Accident 20050529023799A: Mooney M20K, Englewood, CO, May 29, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 29, 2005, 09:30 local time
- Place: Englewood, CO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.5700° N, 104.8492° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5700&lon=-104.8492&mi=10
- Aircraft: N928MB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N928MB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20K (registry code 5870220, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20K
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,200 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA139) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050529023799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FOR AN IFR FLIGHT (WEATHER REPORTED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ AS 1000 FOOT OVERCAST AND 3 MILES VISIBILITY), THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ ENTERED THE CLOUDS IN A LEFT HAND CLIMBING TURN. HE SOON REALIZED THE HSI DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR WASN'T TURNING. FOR 5-10 SECONDS THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ "FIXATED" ON THE HSI AND INSTINCTIVELY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT (BOTH OF WHICH HE LATER CONCLUDED WERE MISTAKES). VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE SAW THE AIRSPEED BLEEDING TOWARDS STALL SPEED AND PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD AND REALIZED HE WAS DISORIENTED. HE BROKE OUT OF THE UNDERCAST IN A HIGH SPEED, HIGH ANGLE DIVE. HE SAID HE PULLED HARD ON THE YOKE TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE RECOVERY MANEUVER OVERSTRESSED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO KAPA AND LANDED. AFTER REPAIRS, HE VISUALLY INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AND FELT IT SAFE FOR FLIGHT. HE THEN FLEW IT AROUND THE PATTERN AND DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT FLEW FINE. LATER INSPECTION BY A MOONEY REPAIR EXPERT FOUND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN THE WING SPARS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN05LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA139), May 29, 2005: Mooney M20K (N928MB), Englewood, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane and the pilot's improper use of unusual attitude recovery procedure. Contributing factors were the failure of the HSI and the clouds.

## Other reports on N928MB (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20260708008109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260708008109I), Jul 8, 2026: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K (N928MB), La Belle, FL, Minor damage. Pilot did not mention in the narrative of their statement that they had used a checklist.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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