# NTSB ERA26LA061: Mooney M20K, N57229, Foley, AL, December 3, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: December 3, 2025, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Foley, AL
- Coordinates: 30.427667, -87.700972 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4277&lon=-87.7010&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202109
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA061
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202109/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA061

## Preliminary report

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.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20K, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=5870220), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N57229](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N57229), registered now, S/N 25-0795, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
- Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 25-0795
- Year built: 1983
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 5R4, Foley, AL
- Airport: 1R8, Bay Minette Muni
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observed at: JKA, 8 nm away
- METAR: METAR KJKA 032156Z 07004KT 10SM CLR 12/05 A3012

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20251203021079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251203021079A), Dec 3, 2025: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Bay Minette, AL, Substantial damage. Pilot was practicing steep turns at 4500 feet, decided to return to 5R4.switched tanks twice during his practice, switched a third time (30 minut intervals)…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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