# Accident 20251203021079A: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Bay Minette, AL, December 3, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 3, 2025, 16:35 local time
- Place: Bay Minette, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4277° N, 87.7010° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4277&lon=-87.7010&mi=10
- Aircraft: N57229, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N57229) (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 AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 164 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA061) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251203021079A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS PRACTICING STEEP TURNS AT 4500 FEET, DECIDED TO RETURN TO 5R4.SWITCHED TANKS TWICE DURING HIS PRACTICE, SWITCHED A THIRD TIME (30 MINUT INTERVALS) AND SHORTLY AFTER SWITCHING TANKS LOST POWER AND TRIED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT 1R8 BUT WAS UNABLE AND LANDED IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES EAST OF 1R8, WENT THROUGH A FENCE, AND CAME TO REST IN A FIELD. PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES.

## 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 ERA26LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA061), Dec 3, 2025: Mooney M20K (N57229), Foley, AL, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

## Other reports on N57229 (1)

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

- [Incident 19931229050439I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931229050439I), Dec 29, 1993: Mooney M20K (N57229), Middletown, PA. Experienced a vibration in flight. Landed at Middletown. Landed without ncident.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.