What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 05/31/2026 at 1515, a Mooney M20J, crashed just short of runway during approach-landing while performing a test flight. No flight plan was filed, and aircraft damage was substantial. The pilot sustained a broken leg, broken ribs and internal injuries no one else was in the aircraft. The pilot is a private pilot, and the flight originated at kaeg.
The following information is in regard to details leading up to the accident at kaeg. The pilot arrived at the airport around 0830-0900 to test fly the Mooney after a recent annual inspection. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the pilot did not fly the airplane until after 1400. After a thorough preflight inspection and ground run the pilot was cleared for 3 stop and goes departing runway 22. The first 2 stop and goes were uneventful, engine and aircraft performance was normal. The pilot's approach to the 3rd landing seemed normal. The pilot was on short final preparing to land, and the next thing she knew the aircraft was crashing. The aircraft and engine were performing normally at all times.
Adsb exchange showed aircraft at 60KTS, at 15:17:50 MDT, and 57 KTS, at 15:18:10 MDT which is when the accident occurred.
No airworthiness abnormalities were noted.
As the FAA filed it
ON 05/31/2026 AT 1515, A MOONEY M20J, CRASHED JUST SHORT OF RUNWAY DURING APPROACH-LANDING WHILE PERFORMING A TEST FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, AND AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG, BROKEN RIBS AND INTERNAL INJURIES NO ONE ELSE WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT IS A PRIVATE PILOT, AND THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT KAEG.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS IN REGARD TO DETAILS LEADING UP TO THE ACCIDENT AT KAEG. THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AROUND 0830-0900 TO TEST FLY THE MOONEY AFTER A RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION. DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PILOT DID NOT FLY THE AIRPLANE UNTIL AFTER 1400. AFTER A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND GROUND RUN THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR 3 STOP AND GOES DEPARTING RUNWAY 22. THE FIRST 2 STOP AND GOES WERE UNEVENTFUL, ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE WAS NORMAL. THE PILOT'S APPROACH TO THE 3RD LANDING SEEMED NORMAL. THE PILOT WAS ON SHORT FINAL PREPARING TO LAND, AND THE NEXT THING SHE KNEW THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRASHING. THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WERE PERFORMING NORMALLY AT ALL TIMES.
ADSB EXCHANGE SHOWED AIRCRAFT AT 60KTS, AT 15:17:50 MDT, AND 57 KTS, AT 15:18:10 MDT WHICH IS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
NO AIRWORTHINESS ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED.
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 N555ED · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.