# NTSB WPR26LA214: Mooney M20J, N555ED, Albuquerque, NM, May 31, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: May 31, 2026, 15:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.144909, -106.79517
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1449&lon=-106.7952&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203158
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA214
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203158/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA214

## Preliminary report

On May 31, 2026, at 1515 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N555ED, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the flight was a post-maintenance test flight conducted at Double Eagle II Airport (AEG), Albuquerque, New Mexico, following completion of the airplane's annual inspection. Following a preflight inspection, the pilot departed with the intention of performing three stop-and-go landings. The first two landings on runway 22 were uneventful. The pilot reported that engine indications remained normal throughout the flight and that all flight controls operated as expected. During the third landing, while on short final approach, the pilot stated that all parameters appeared normal; however, the airplane unexpectedly impacted the runway. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway onto the adjacent grass surface and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The airplane 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.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N555ED](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N555ED), registered now, S/N 24-0684 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-0684
- Year built: 1978
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Flight test, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 16, 2026, 115.7 hours before
- Airport: AEG, Double Eagle II Airport, runway 22, 7,398 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KAEG
- METAR: METAR KAEG 312050Z 20006G15KT 10SM CLR 28/M09 A3009

## 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 20260531010139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260531010139A), May 31, 2026: Mooney M20J, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. 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…

## Other investigations on N555ED (1)

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.

- [NTSB CEN24LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA294), Jul 24, 2024: Mooney M20J (N555ED), Appleton, WI, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate wingtip clearance while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the ambiguous nonstandard parking at the time of the incident.

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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