What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 17, 2026, privacy data omitted Mooney M20J departed under VFR conditions from ashland, KY (kdwu) enroute to salina, KS (ksal) from runway 28.
Video footage of the takeoff and initial climb indicates the aircraft failed to reach pattern altitude, maintaining runway heading throughout the departure. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data confirms the aircraft did not exceed approximately 150 feet AGL during the flight.
The aircraft struck the canopy of a tree line roughly 3.5 miles from the departure end of the runway. Following the initial ground impact, the aircraft skidded approximately 50 yards before colliding with additional trees, resulting in a post-impact fire. Approximately six (6) inches of the vertical stabilizer were missing along with approximately twenty-four (24) inches of the rudder. This damage was consistent with a power line strike.
The aircraft was last operated sixteen (16) hours prior to the accident, at which time it was refueled. Records from the fixed base operator (FBO) show that fuel tank filters were replaced two days prior to the event with no evidence of contamination. A cross-contamination check was also performed with negative results.
Examination of the engine, fuel system, and related components is pending.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 17, 2026, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MOONEY M20J DEPARTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS FROM ASHLAND, KY (KDWU) ENROUTE TO SALINA, KS (KSAL) FROM RUNWAY 28.
VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO REACH PATTERN ALTITUDE, MAINTAINING RUNWAY HEADING THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTURE. AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST (ADS-B) DATA CONFIRMS THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT EXCEED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AGL DURING THE FLIGHT.
THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE CANOPY OF A TREE LINE ROUGHLY 3.5 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. FOLLOWING THE INITIAL GROUND IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS BEFORE COLLIDING WITH ADDITIONAL TREES, RESULTING IN A POST-IMPACT FIRE. APPROXIMATELY SIX (6) INCHES OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER WERE MISSING ALONG WITH APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-FOUR (24) INCHES OF THE RUDDER. THIS DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A POWER LINE STRIKE.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST OPERATED SIXTEEN (16) HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AT WHICH TIME IT WAS REFUELED. RECORDS FROM THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO) SHOW THAT FUEL TANK FILTERS WERE REPLACED TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATION. A CROSS-CONTAMINATION CHECK WAS ALSO PERFORMED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.
EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, AND RELATED COMPONENTS IS PENDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N205MK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.