# NTSB investigations: Mooney M20K: Loss of engine power (total)

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 ERA26LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA061.md): Mooney M20K · Foley, AL · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Dec 3, 2025 · N57229 · Substantial damage
  > On December 3, 2025, about 1600 central standard time, a Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, N57229, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Foley, Alabama. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of…
- [NTSB CEN23LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA107.md): Mooney M20 · Lakeway, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Feb 12, 2023 · N304MA · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to detonation and preignition in the No. 6 cylinder.
- [NTSB CEN23LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA062.md): Mooney M20K · Addison, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 13, 2022 · N231GZ · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue failure of the engine’s camshaft gear teeth which resulted in a loss of all engine power. Contributing to the accident was the non-compliance with the engine manufacturer’s recommended service bulletin.
- [NTSB CEN22FA383](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA383.md): Mooney M20K · Hanna City, IL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 13, 2022 · N30EV · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB ERA21LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA222.md): Mooney M20K · Dawson, GA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 20, 2021 · N9514R · Substantial damage
  > Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the No. 4 connecting rod bolt nut with a cotter pin, resulting in a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA19LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA062.md): Mooney M20K · Paramus, NJ · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 9, 2018 · N5756W · Substantial damage
  > Maintenance personnel's improper assembly of the engine during overhaul, which resulted in lubrication restriction due to a bearing shift and the subsequent engine failure.
- [NTSB GAA17CA472](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA472.md): Mooney M20 · Skiatook, OK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 2, 2017 · N95442 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to conduct the flight despite the fuel gauges indicating that there was insufficient fuel for the flight, which resulted in the low amount of fuel in the right tank becoming unported during the multiple turns, and his subsequent…
- [NTSB CEN17LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA068.md): Mooney M20 · Nacogdoches, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 4, 2017 · N1159G · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination and testing of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB ERA16FA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA150.md): Mooney M20K · Ocala, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 9, 2016 · N96398 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed following a loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadvertent placement of the…
- [NTSB CEN15LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA279.md): Mooney M20K · Sheboygan, WI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 21, 2015 · N1168Z · Substantial damage
  > Oil starvation due to preignition in the No. 5 cylinder as a result of failed spark plugs; the top and sides of the piston head were eroded, which allowed the exhaust gases caused by the preignition to pressurize the crankcase and force engine oil out of the…
- [NTSB WPR15LA175](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA175.md): Mooney M20K · Fresno, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 3, 2015 · N3567H · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to a failure of the No. 1 piston and connecting rod assembly.
- [NTSB ERA14LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA242.md): Mooney M20K · Georgetown, DE · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 18, 2014 · N200DP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper preflight planning and in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. Also causal to the accident was the pilot’s failure to see and avoid the wires on the airport boundary.
- [NTSB CEN13LA388](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA388.md): Mooney M20K · Hudson, CO · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 28, 2013 · N5254G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB ERA12LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA001.md): Mooney M20K · Ridgefield, CT · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 1, 2011 · N231EB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB CEN11LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA311.md): Mooney M20K · New Orleans, LA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 7, 2011 · N305M · Substantial damage
  > A loss of electrical and engine power for undetermined reasons.

## 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 ('5870220')
    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" = '341' 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/341/sequence?model=5870220

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