# NTSB investigations: Mooney M20E: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA063.md): Mooney M20E · Gonzales, LA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 16, 2025 · N9081V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper pitch control that resulted in a hard landing, and his improper recovery from multiple bounced landings. Contributing to the accident was the safety pilot’s delayed response to the initial bounced landing which led to the runway excursion.
- [NTSB WPR18FA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA112.md): Mooney M20E · Marina, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 26, 2018 · N213EJ · Destroyed
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
- [NTSB ERA16FA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA208.md): Mooney M20E · Collegedale, TN · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 11, 2016 · N7830V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering after a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB CEN13FA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA217.md): Mooney M20E · Guymon, OK · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 1, 2013 · N9330M · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and his subsequent loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to take off in deteriorating…
- [NTSB CEN13FA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA183.md): Mooney M20E · Angel Fire, NM · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 3, 2013 · N3484X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of control while flying in a turbulent mountain-wave environment. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's overconfidence in his ability to safely pilot the airplane in gusting wind conditions and his lack of experience operating in…
- [NTSB CEN12CA598](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA598.md): Mooney M20E · Gresham, WI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 17, 2012 · N5642Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control and clearance from field corn during takeoff.
- [NTSB CEN12FA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA170.md): Mooney M20E · San Antonio, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 26, 2012 · N9224M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadvertent overboost of the turbocharged engine during initial climb, which resulted in detonation and a partial loss of engine power followed by the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and the instructor's delayed remedial action, which…
- [NTSB ERA11IA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11IA110.md): Mooney M20E · St. Petersburg, FL · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jan 6, 2011 · N7828V · No damage
  > An inadequately maintained interior cockpit boot, which allowed a flashlight to fall through and subsequently jam the airplane's flight controls. Contributing to the incident was a lack of emphasis by government, industry, and advocacy groups that the…
- [NTSB CEN11FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA124.md): Mooney M20E · Colorado Springs, CO · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 22, 2010 · N79869 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to initiate an approach into weather conditions where the ceiling and visibility were below the minimums for the approach and where reported icing existed, in an airplane not certified for flight in icing conditions, and his failure to…
- [NTSB WPR09FA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA133.md): Mooney M20E · Rio Linda, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 28, 2009 · N3463X · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering during the initial climb, which resulted in a stall/spin.
- [NTSB DFW08CA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA171.md): Mooney M20 · Lake Ft Gibson, OK · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 29, 2008 · N1287X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of control while maneuvering the aircraft.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('5870212')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=5870212

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