ERA26LA061

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 Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the flight departed from Holk Field at Foley Municipal Airport (5R4), Foley, Alabama, with 54 gallons of fuel. The pilot flew to the north at an altitude 4,500 ft mean sea level and conducted several practice maneuvers, including steep turns, before returning to the airport about 1 hour later. The pilot switched the fuel selector tank position twice (every 30 minutes) based on his Garmin timer and he switched the fuel selector position a third time on his way back to 5R4. Shortly thereafter, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The airplane was too far north to reach the departure airport; the pilot diverted to Bay Minette Municipal Airport (1R8), Bay Minette, Alabama, set best glide speed (80 kts) and attempted to restart the engine by completing the “engine out” checklist. The pilot’s attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The airplane was unable to glide to 1R8, and the pilot performed an off-field landing to a farm pasture. During landing, the airplane impacted a barbed wire fence, which sheared the landing gear; it then landed on rough terrain where it skidded to a stop. The airplane’s wings were buckled and torn in multiple locations, and there was damage to the wing spar and underside of the fuselage. The two-bladed metal propeller exhibited no rotational damage. An FAA inspector recovered an engine data monitor that was sent to the NTSB recorders laboratory for download. The wreckage was retained for further examination.