Mooney · Single-engine piston plane
Mooney M20
Is the Mooney M20 safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 23 small planes we rate, with 96 fatal accidents counted in about 6.8 million US flights since 2008.
Medium confidenceIn serviceUpdated 5 November 2026
Spot a mistake?
Mooney M20 safety score: 40 out of 100, grade D (Weak)
Likely range 35 to 45
1 in 78,000chance of dying on a flight12.84 deaths per million boardings
How the score is built
- Fatal accidents
- 96 in 6.8 million flights
14.2 fatal accidents per million flights. Counted: all civil flights in the United States since 2008 (private, training, charter and other), accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: accidents outside the United States or before 2008, military, test and illegal flights, sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 89.2
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 6.8 million
Estimated flights of all kinds in the United States since 2008. Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 5,923 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.81, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 0.97 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 70 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
- Technology generation
- Single-engine piston plane
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of the other types of their generation: 5.4 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 211 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 96%.
- Likely range
- 35 to 45
The score is 90% likely to lie in this range, given how few accidents a type has and the error in the estimate of its flights.
- Last fatal accident
- 7 September 2026
Private, Titusville, FL, United States of America: 1 of 1 people on board died.
- Aircraft destroyed
- 36
Aircraft the NTSB coded as destroyed in an accident in the United States since 2008, fatal or not, from all causes. The NTSB codes many wrecks as only substantially damaged, so the real number is higher (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Mooney M20 carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A day of skiing1 in 830,000
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
- One flight on the Mooney M20This aircraft1 in 78,000
Accident history
96 fatal accidents in the United States since 2008 count toward the score, with 164 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrivateMooney M20F · Titusville, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Just after takeoff from Titusville, Florida, the M20F climbed to about 220 ft, turned left and descended, struck a power line and crashed; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorMooney M20C · Mount Hood, OR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | During a flight review near Hood River, Oregon, the pilot and instructor were said to be practising stalls when the M20C went nose-down and hit sloping terrain. Both died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Woodlake, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Collecting the M20J after maintenance, the pilot returned once at Woodlake, California, with one cylinder running hot, then took off again. A friend saw it very low before it crashed into a street and burned; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Ironton, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After a long takeoff roll at Ashland, Kentucky, the M20J was seen barely climbing; it crashed about 3 nm away near Ironton, Ohio, and burned. The pilot died. The top of the fin and rudder were never found. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Mooney N1151H LLCMooney M20J · Union, SC, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | After a fuel stop at Union, South Carolina, the M20J took off with four on board; at about 200 ft it banked right, then rolled left and dropped into wooded hills beyond the runway and burned. All four died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Ballston Spa, NY, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | The new owner was flying his M20E home to Florida with an instructor his insurer required. At about 200 ft after takeoff from Saratoga County, New York, the engine quit; the instructor turned back and hit a tree. The owner died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Sleepytime PllcMooney M20J · Nampa, ID, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Taking off from Nampa, Idaho, on a hot day with a density altitude near 5,100 ft, the M20J climbed only about 340 ft as its speed fell, then descended into a storage building. All three on board died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Beverly, MA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Just after takeoff from Beverly, Massachusetts, the M20F's engine backfired and briefly lost power; turning back to the airport, the pilot stalled and crashed, and both on board died. NTSB: loss of control in the turn, after a spark plug fitted wrongly by maintenance came loose.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20TN · Sparta, TN, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Nearing Sparta, Tennessee, after cancelling IFR, the M20TN was heard with its engine cutting in and out; it hit trees and a creek about 1.5 nm short of runway 4. All three on board died. A connecting rod had broken in the engine. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Clear Ayr LLCMooney M20F · Reliance, TN, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | About 13 minutes after leaving Chattanooga, the M20F crashed into wooded hills in the Cherokee National Forest near Resilience, Tennessee, with gusty wind and a storm cell nearby. All three died. Both elevators were found torn off. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Windham, NY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying at night toward Albany after reporting moderate to heavy turbulence, the pilot descended and the M20J hit wooded high ground below a peak near Windham, New York; he died. No distress call was made. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · St. Augustine, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Soon after takeoff from St. Augustine, Florida, the pilot reported a door had popped open and turned back. On base leg the M20K stalled and spun in, killing both on board. NTSB: speed not kept up in the pattern, with the badly closed cabin door as a distraction.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Plano, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Going around after a landing attempt near Plano, Texas, the M20C flew close to its stall speed, dropped a wing and dived into the ground, then burned. The pilot died and a person on the ground was slightly hurt. NTSB: stall in a climbing turn during the go-around.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20R · Southport, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The owner took his M20R out of an unfinished eight-month maintenance job with the engine smoking and leaking oil. Soon after takeoff from Oak Island, North Carolina, the engine failed and it hit houses short of the runway; he died. NTSB: he chose to fly an unairworthy aircraft.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20R · Watertown, WI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing into a 300 ft overcast from Watertown, Wisconsin, the pilot never set up the cleared course; the M20R wandered, then dived in a steep right turn beyond its maximum speed and crashed. Both on board died. NTSB: spatial disorientation, with drug impairment contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Rainwater Farms LLCMooney M20B · Kellyton, AL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a positioning flight in cloud, the M20B's engine ran rough at 6,000 ft and the pilot diverted; the engine recovered, then quit, and the aircraft crashed near Kellyton, Alabama. The pilot died. NTSB: total loss of power from fuel starvation.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Falmouth, MA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Landing toward a low sun at Falmouth Airpark, Massachusetts, the M20J hit 75 ft trees about 300 ft before the runway. The pilot died and his pilot-rated passenger was badly hurt. NTSB: failure to clear the trees, with sun glare contributing.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Hanna City, IL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After almost five hours of flying from Santa Fe, the M20K ran out of fuel about 10 miles from Peoria; the pilot tried to land on a road, hit power lines and crashed near Hanna City, Illinois. Both on board died. NTSB: fuel exhaustion.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Kerrville, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The pilot turned back to Kerrville, Texas, soon after takeoff, reporting a landing gear problem. Turning from downwind to base with the gear down, the M20J rolled left and hit the ground; both on board died. NTSB: stall in the base turn, with little recent training.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Camarillo, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot, new to Camarillo, took off into a low marine layer for an IFR flight home to Phoenix. Soon after entering cloud he lost control and the M20K crashed near the airport; he died. NTSB: spatial disorientation in cloud just after takeoff.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Marana, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot, who had no instrument rating, left Marana, Arizona, for California and flew a series of turns in likely low cloud before radar contact was lost. The M20C was found in desert four days later; he died. NTSB: spatial disorientation, with methamphetamine use contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Sterling Silver Flyers LLCMooney M20J · Jacksonville, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing away from a low approach at Herlong, Jacksonville, the M20J's baggage door opened as the gear came up. It stopped climbing, dropped its right wing and spun into a field; both on board died. NTSB: airspeed not kept in the climb, likely distracted by the door.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Villa Rica, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a local flight from a private airfield near Villa Rica, Georgia, the M20F slowed from about 100 to 50 mph, then turned sharply left and spun into the ground; the airline transport pilot died. NTSB: airspeed not maintained, causing a stall and spin.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Another Greaser LLCMooney M20M · Snoqualmie, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Back flying after six years in a newly bought M20M, the pilot climbed on an IFR flight into icing he had been warned of along the route. At about 16,300 ft it began a rapid descent and crashed near Snoqualmie, Washington; he died. NTSB: decision to fly into known icing.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Holly Ridge, NC, United States of America | 2 killed / 4 on board | Taking off from a grass strip at Topsail Island, North Carolina, with four on board near maximum weight and the aft balance limit, the M20J wobbled, turned left and sank into woods with the stall horn sounding. The pilot and a passenger died. NTSB: stall in the initial climb.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20M · Victoria, MN, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Flying an ILS approach in cloud to Flying Cloud, Minnesota, the pilot strayed off course and below altitude, then the M20M went into a steep left spiral and broke up in flight near Victoria. All three on board died. NTSB: spatial disorientation on final approach.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Dinsmore, CA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Taking off from Dinsmore, California, with four on board, the M20J barely cleared the fence and hit trees past the runway end, then burned; all four died. NTSB: the engine's worn intake cam lobes cut its takeoff and climb performance.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Sylmar, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On an ILS approach to Van Nuys in cloud, the M20K began climbing and descending turns over high terrain near the final approach fix and stopped answering the controller, then crashed near Sylmar, California. Both on board died. NTSB: spatial disorientation on the approach.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Bartow, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying fourth in a formation into Bartow, Florida, the pilot turned base late, swung sharply right toward the runway, then turned left and dived in about 0.6 nm short; he and his wife died. NTSB: stall and spin at low altitude, possibly after a distraction in the cockpit.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20S · Olathe, KS, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On takeoff from Johnson County Executive, Kansas, the M20S lifted off slowly at a very high pitch angle, stalled and hit the ground, then burned. Both on board died. NTSB: the pilot did not set the elevator trim for takeoff.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Flower Pot, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Briefed twice about cloud and mountain obscuration, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew from Flagstaff toward Phoenix anyway; the M20C crashed near Flower Pot, Arizona, and burned. He died. NTSB: VFR flight into cloud and spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · American Falls, ID, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Two hours into a cross-country flight the pilot headed for a closer airport; the M20J's engine stopped from fuel exhaustion and it stalled while turning away from houses near American Falls, Idaho. He died. NTSB: too little fuel, then a stall, with marijuana use contributing.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20A · Summit Point, WV, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Practising slow flight and stalls only about 1,100 ft above the ground near Summit Point, West Virginia, the pilot of the M20A lost control and could not recover before hitting the ground. Both on board died. NTSB: decision to practise stalls at low altitude.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Moose Lake, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot took off from Moose Lake, Minnesota, into a snowstorm on an IFR flight; the engine sound stopped soon after and the M20J was found next morning partly underwater in a river. He died. NTSB: failure to keep control after departing into the snowstorm.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Cashiers, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 30 minutes into an IFR flight from Knoxville, the pilot reported in cloud that his attitude indicator had failed; he could not hold course and the M20C crashed into mountains near Cashiers, North Carolina. He died. NTSB: spatial disorientation after the vacuum pump failed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Diablo, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | A student pilot without the needed instructor endorsement flew solo at night from Hayward toward Lincoln, California, in poor visibility. At about 2,800 ft the M20F hit Mount Diablo and he died. NTSB: VFR flight into reduced visibility at night and failure to clear terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Katy, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Told VFR flight was not recommended because of storms near Houston, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew on into cloud and rain; after several course changes the M20K crashed near Katy, Texas. He died. NTSB: VFR flight into cloud and spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorMooney M20C · Santa FE, NM, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Nearly five hours into a night flight from Goodyear, Arizona, to Akron, Colorado, the M20C was far off course and seen circling Santa Fe airport unlit before it hit terrain. It had no current annual inspection. The pilot died. NTSB: the cause of the impact was not determined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Woodbine, NJ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot, who had trouble raising the M20C's manual landing gear and slowed down to do it, let the speed fall after takeoff from Woodbine, New Jersey; it stalled and dived into the ground beside the runway. He died. NTSB: airspeed not maintained on takeoff.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Palo Alto, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Landing at Palo Alto on a volunteer Angel Flight, the M20J porpoised down the runway; in the go-around the pilot raised the flaps too early and it stalled and crashed. The pilot died and his two passengers survived. NTSB: loss of control from premature flap retraction.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Baker City, OR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying a low, tight downwind at Baker City, Oregon, after the vacuum pump had failed and taken out several instruments, the pilot turned base and the M20K spun into the ground. He and his student-pilot passenger died. NTSB: stall after the pilot was distracted by the failures.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Lopez Island, WA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | During a flight review at Lopez Island, Washington, the M20J's bank steepened in the base-to-final turn until it spun into trees at about 300 ft. The pilot and instructor died. NTSB: cross-controlled stall and spin, with the instructor slow to step in.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Petaluma, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot took off from Petaluma, California, on an IFR flight into fog, low cloud and turbulence and never called ATC; the M20J was found about 1 mile away. He died. NTSB: airspeed not kept up in cloud, turbulence and windshear, causing a stall.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Marina, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Months after returning from a three-year break, the pilot took off from Marina, California, in a steep nose-high climb; the M20E stalled and spun into the ground and he died. NTSB: critical angle of attack exceeded on takeoff.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20 · Chuckanut, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Descending on a dark night toward Bellingham, Washington, for a straight-in approach, the M20K flew level into treetops on a 1,900 ft ridge about 9 miles from the airport. The pilot died. NTSB: failure to keep clear of terrain on a night visual approach.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Starke, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Keen to reach a family event, the pilot took off after a 45-minute wait despite heavy rain and turbulence and lost control in cloud; the M20C crashed at Camp Blanding, Clay County, Florida. He died. NTSB: spatial disorientation, lack of instrument currency, self-induced pressure.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · North Branford, CT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising low at about 1,000 ft above the ground, the M20C lost all engine power and crashed into woods near Guilford, Connecticut; both on board died. NTSB: fuel starvation from a piece of shop towel left in the fuel selector by poor maintenance.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Aberdeen, MS, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Aberdeen, Mississippi, on a dark night over unlit country, the M20J turned right past its course and descended into the ground about 2,500 ft past the runway; both on board died. NTSB: failure to clear terrain for reasons that could not be determined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Lake Hughes, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Commuting to work in cloud without a flight plan, the pilot held the M20J at about 5,750 ft on a direct line to a beacon on a 5,793 ft peak; it flew into the mountain near Lake Hughes, California, and he died. NTSB: VFR flight in cloud into mountainous terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Air Mods Flight Training Center, Inc.Mooney M20J · Pittstown, NJ, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Landing fast at Sky Manor, New Jersey, in a rented M20J, the pilot bounced and struck the propeller, then aborted near the runway end; with reduced thrust it stalled near trees. Both on board died. NTSB: bad touchdown attitude and decision to go around after the prop strike.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PilotMooney M20J · Holmen, WI, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Cleared for an ILS approach to La Crosse in cloud, the pilot asked for vectors and was sent back to the center frequency, then went silent; the M20J hit the ground at high speed 5.6 miles out. He died. NTSB: loss of control on the approach, poor instrument proficiency.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Collegedale, TN, United States of America | 3 killed / 4 on board | Going around at Collegedale, Tennessee, the pilot made a steep right turn at low height and too little speed; the M20E stalled, rotated and hit the grass beside the runway. Three of the four on board died. NTSB: airspeed not maintained after the go-around.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Woodland, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Overweight and with the engine short of full power, the M20K used nearly all of Woodland's 1,953 ft runway, barely lifted off and hit the perimeter fence and a berm. A rear passenger without a shoulder harness died. NTSB: the pilot was slow to abort the takeoff.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Ocala, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | At about 200 ft after takeoff from Ocala, Florida, the M20K's engine stopped; turning to land on a crossing runway, it rolled into a steep left bank and hit the ground. The passenger died. NTSB: stall after the power loss; the pilot had left the fuel selector off.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20M · Worcester, MA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 200 ft after takeoff from Worcester, Massachusetts, the M20M's engine quit when its crankshaft broke from fatigue. The pilot turned back, stalled and crashed into trees; he died. NTSB: crankshaft failure, with loss of control contributing.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20TN · Atlantic Ocean off Atlantic City | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot stopped answering ATC after climbing to 25,000 ft, and the M20TN flew on by autopilot for over two hours until it ran out of fuel and fell into the Atlantic off Atlantic City. He died. NTSB: hypoxia from a loose oxygen line missed at the last annual inspection.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Salem, OR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at Salem, Oregon, after an unstable approach, the M20E porpoised and bounced hard; the pilot went around at low power and low speed, and it stalled and spun in. He died. NTSB: unstable approach and late correction, then a stall during the aborted landing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Norfolk, VA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Arriving at Norfolk area around 3 am in low cloud after a night flight from Florida, the pilot flew an RNAV approach with only a handheld GPS and crashed in the Norfolk Botanical Garden. All three on board died. NTSB: the approach was flown wrongly, after poor planning.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Pagosa Springs, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Warned by the destination FBO of heavy snow and poor visibility, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew to Pagosa Springs anyway; the M20C hit mountains in the San Juan National Forest in a snowstorm. Both on board died. NTSB: flight into known bad weather.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20K · Clines Corners, NM, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Despite IFR forecasts, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, left Amarillo for Phoenix, reported ice and said he would turn back, but kept heading west over high ground and lost control near Clines Corners, New Mexico. He died. NTSB: VFR flight into cloud; ATC help lacking.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20 · Boulder, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Just after takeoff from Boulder, Colorado, with a direct crosswind and the sun ahead, the M20F rolled left to inverted and hit the ground; the pilot died. The propeller showed low power. NTSB: loss of control for reasons that could not be determined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20L - NO Series · San Diego, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | After bouncing on landing at Montgomery Field, San Diego, the pilot went around with the gear still down; the M20L climbed poorly, stalled near trees and hit a building roof. One of the two on board died. NTSB: climb and airspeed not achieved in the go-around.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · North Elba, NY, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | At Lake Placid, New York, the M20F and another aircraft whose radio was not working approached the runway from opposite ends and both went around. The M20F climbed steeply, stalled in the crosswind turn and spun in; all three on board died. NTSB: airspeed not maintained.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20M · Greenwood, IN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Greenwood, Indiana, the M20M trailed blue smoke and the engine misfired, but the pilots continued; it wallowed to about 150 ft, dropped a wing and hit houses. One of the two died. NTSB: partial power loss of unknown cause, and the choice to continue.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20B · Page, AZ, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a personal flight from Page, Arizona, in high density altitude, the M20B flew into a canyon and hit the hillside while turning in Peach Canyon on the Navajo Nation; both on board died and were found two days later. NTSB: failure to clear terrain while manoeuvring.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Cody, WY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Two pilots, neither instrument-rated, flew from Cody, Wyoming, over mountains hidden in cloud; the M20C hit the eastern slope of Howell Mountain. Both died. NTSB: continued flight into known cloud over mountains, causing controlled flight into terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20R · Boyne City, MI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Soon after leaving Boyne City, Michigan, on a dark night in heavy snow showers, the pilot tried to return; a witness saw the M20R bank hard, pitch up and down and dive into a wooded valley about 1 mile from the airport. Both on board died. NTSB: loss of control while returning.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Julian, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After turbulence at 8,500 ft, the pilot descended to 4,500 ft over mountains and told ATC he would keep his own terrain clearance; the M20E hit a steep slope of Volcan Mountain near Julian, California. Both on board died. NTSB: terrain not cleared while avoiding cloud.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PilotMooney M20J · Kansas City, MO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Kansas City Downtown with runway left behind from an intersection start, the M20J lost power, sank with the gear up, recovered, then lost power again and stalled into a field. Both died. NTSB: decision to continue after the first power loss; water in the fuel.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Lake Tahoe at a density altitude near 9,000 ft, the pilot turned toward rising terrain the M20C could not outclimb; it stalled avoiding a tree and fell into the forest. The pilot died and his passenger survived. NTSB: decision to turn toward that terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Collinsville, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Shortly after leaving Tulsa on an IFR flight in gusty wind under a 2,000 ft ceiling, the M20J crashed near Collinsville, Oklahoma, and both on board died. NTSB: loss of control for reasons that could not be determined; no fault was found in the aircraft.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Guymon, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After a fuel stop at Guymon, Oklahoma, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, took off into worsening cloud; the M20E dived nearly vertically into remote ground about 6 miles away and burned. Both on board died. NTSB: spatial disorientation after takeoff in bad weather.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20A · Wikieup, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | En route from Sedona, the pilot reported losing oil pressure, then rough running and smoke, and shut down the engine; the M20A crashed in a forced landing on rough ground near Wikieup, Arizona. One of three died. NTSB: a non-standard shim from maintenance led to a rod failure.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Verhalen Flyers LLCMooney M20E · Angel Fire, NM, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | The pilot took off from Angel Fire, New Mexico, in wind gusting to 47 knots; the M20E rose and fell with its wings rocking, then rolled inverted at under 150 ft and hit the ground. All four died. NTSB: loss of control in mountain-wave turbulence, with overconfidence.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Yosemite Valley, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a VFR flight to Mammoth Lakes, the M20F spent over an hour above 10,000 ft and flew descending circles before hitting a ridge at about 10,700 ft in Yosemite National Park. The pilot died. NTSB: continued flight into cloud and failure to clear the mountains.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20M · Crane Hill, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Using ADS-B weather to dodge storms, the pilot of the M20M flew into moderate to heavy rain at about 15,000 ft and lost control; it crashed near Smith Lake, Alabama. Both on board died. NTSB: loss of control in heavy rain, with reliance on ADS-B weather for close-in avoidance.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| Occuhealth IncMooney M20J · Teddys Peak, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing west from Pueblo over rising mountains in fog and cloud, the M20J flew wings-level into a slope about 300 ft below a 12,300 ft ridge in Huerfano County, Colorado. Both on board died and were found two days later. NTSB: controlled flight into terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Sterling, PA, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Taking off at night uphill from part of Spring Hill's 2,478 ft runway, the M20J lifted off with the stall horn sounding, hit a tree and crashed inverted in woods. Two of the three on board died. NTSB: not using the full runway and not aborting the takeoff.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Niclan CorpMooney M20E · San Antonio, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying with an instructor from Stinson, San Antonio, the pilot, new to turbocharged engines, likely overboosted the M20E and lost some power; turning back at low height it stalled and dived in. Both died. NTSB also cited the instructor's late action and impairing medication.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20M · Pomona, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying low under a 2,000 ft overcast toward Pomona, California, the M20M hit a 75 ft stanchion at the fairground on the base leg and crashed, about 3/4 mile from the airport. The pilot died. NTSB: altitude not kept up to clear obstacles in the pattern.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Grace, ID, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Overshooting the base-to-final turn at Simpson Airport, Grace, Idaho, the pilot of the M20C tightened the left turn at low speed; it stalled and dropped to the ground less than 1 mile from the runway. All three on board died. NTSB: loss of control in the pattern.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Winslow, AZ, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After refuelling at Winslow, Arizona, the pilot radioed that the M20F's engine was running rough and turned back; it made a steep turn, spiralled down and hit the ground inverted at the runway end. Both died. NTSB: power loss from rust and dirt in the fuel servo.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Watsonville, CA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Taking off from Watsonville, California, toward a low cloud layer, the pilot turned sharply left at about 400 ft to avoid it; the M20F stalled and spun into the ground. All four died. NTSB: decision to take off toward the cloud, with a stall warning that could not be heard.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Furnace Creek, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Soon after takeoff from Furnace Creek, the M20J lost some engine power because its magneto clamps were loose, and the pilot tried a forced landing on a jagged salt flat in Death Valley. He died and was found two days later. NTSB: loose magneto clamps caused the power loss.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The pilot flew an ILS into Colorado Springs in freezing fog below the approach minimums, with icing reported, in an M20E not cleared for ice. He called a missed approach and it hit the airport just short of the runway. Both died. NTSB: loss of control in the missed approach.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| Rockland Aviation LLCMooney M20R · Dundee, NY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Warned of moderate to severe icing, the pilot flew a night IFR approach toward Penn Yan, New York, in an M20R not approved for icing; it veered off course and crashed about 8 miles south of the airport with ice on the tail. He died. NTSB: decision to fly into known icing.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20F · Copake, NY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Descending visually at night toward Great Barrington, Massachusetts, the private pilot of the Mooney M20F did not keep clear of high ground and hit wooded terrain near the top of Mount Frey, Copake, New York; both on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Lander, WY, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Flying his three sons home from Jackson, Wyoming, the pilot took off into forecast icing and turbulence over mountains on a clearance that differed from his request. The M20J crashed near Lander; all four died. NTSB: decision to depart; the clearance and a radar gap contributed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| N400DE, Llc.Mooney M20M · Albany, IN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The pilot stopped answering ATC while climbing through 24,000 ft. An F-16 pilot saw him slumped against the window as the M20M flew on autopilot for over an hour, then it dived into the ground near Albany, Indiana. NTSB: pilot incapacitation for reasons it could not determine.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorMooney M20C · Elma, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Returning to Olympia from an aerial observation flight, the M20C was heard clattering low over homes near Elma, Washington, then descended into trees and power lines. The pilot died. NTSB: total power loss from a fatigue failure of the No. 4 connecting rod.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Victor Owens JRMooney M20D · Clintwood, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Witnesses saw the M20D circle down under cloud, then pass in and out of it before flying into fog covering a mountain ridge near Clintwood, Virginia. The pilot died. NTSB: continued VFR flight into cloud, causing controlled flight into terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Alpha Aviation IncMooney M20C · Elbert, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On what looked like a proficiency flight from Centennial, Denver, the M20C flew slow back-and-forth manoeuvres at about 1,300 ft above the ground, then stalled and hit a ravine near Elbert, Colorado. The pilot died. NTSB: airspeed not maintained while manoeuvring.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20J · Avalon, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 4 on board | Taking off from Catalina's mountaintop runway with four on board, the M20J wobbled, touched down again, ran through gravel beside the runway and went off the cliff-edged end into a valley, then burned. Three died. NTSB: loss of control on takeoff for undetermined reasons.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Lawrenceburg, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Manoeuvring near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, at the end of a cross-country flight, the M20C lost engine power and hit trees about half a mile from the runway. One of the two on board died. Only traces of fuel were left. NTSB: fuel exhaustion.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20M · Midlothian, VA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The pilot took off from Chesterfield County, Virginia, into cloud on an IFR clearance but never called ATC; the M20M wandered, then entered a tightening descending turn, shed a belly panel and a window and hit a house. Both on board died. NTSB: spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20C · Riverside, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Leaving Riverside, California, after a dinner stop, the M20C porpoised after liftoff, made a steep climbing left turn, rolled inverted and dived into a street, hitting a palm tree and a parked car. All three on board died. NTSB: airspeed and control not maintained.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket |
Listed but not counted
These events happened on military, test or illegal flights, or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrivateMooney M20J · Cape May, NJ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Deliberate act by a crew member. Witnesses near Cape May, New Jersey, saw the M20J flying about 10 ft above the sea; it touched the water, climbed, then dived vertically into it. The pilot died. The medical examiner ruled suicide, and the NTSB found the pilot flew into the water on purpose.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| Wilson Thomas S MDMooney M20K · Augusta, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Test flight. The pilot fitted a two-blade propeller not approved for the M20K's engine and flew it from Augusta, Georgia, though two mechanics said not to. Soon after takeoff the propeller came off and the aircraft spiralled into the ground; he died. NTSB: his decision to fly it.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateMooney M20E · Rio Linda, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Test flight. On a test flight after an annual inspection and a field engine overhaul, the M20E's engine popped and surged on takeoff from Rio Linda, California; turning back, it spun into a field and burned. The pilot and mechanic died. NTSB: partial power loss of unknown cause, then a stall.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket |
A Mooney is a pilot's travelling machine: a small, low-wing four-seater with retractable gear, built for speed on modest power since 1955. Its US record since 2008 is almost entirely one of private owners. Of 96 counted fatal accidents up to 28 October 2026, 91 were private or other flights, 3 ferry flights and 2 training flights, and together they killed 164 people. Per flight that puts it in the lower half of the single-engine pack, just behind the Cessna 210 and the Cirrus SR22, a little ahead of the Bonanza and well behind the Cessna 172.
Who flies a Mooney?
About 11,000 M20s were built, from the early M20C Ranger and M20J 201 to turbocharged models such as the M20K, M20M Bravo and M20TN Acclaim. Production has stopped. The FAA register shows the fleet shrinking, from 6,555 in 2014 to 5,915 in 2026. Most are owned and flown by one pilot, often for trips. Few schools use them, and only two counted accidents were training flights.
How this score is built
The Mooney's score rests on US fatal accidents since 2008 in the NTSB database, and on about 6.8 million US flights that we derive from the FAA register and the FAA General Aviation survey. The survey gives flying hours for single-engine pistons as a class. Airframe hours in NTSB accident records and, to a lesser degree, ADS-B tracks from 2019 to 2022 show that a Mooney flies about 70% as often as the average single, and the count takes that into account. Aircraft without ADS-B are not seen and the NTSB hours come only from aircraft that crashed, so the estimate can still be off. Confidence is medium. A light-aircraft flight carries far more risk than an airline flight. See our method and the small planes ranking.
What goes wrong, according to the records
Loss of control in flight accounts for 47 events, flight into terrain for 17, engine failures for 10 and fuel problems for 7. Ice brought down three, and none of the three aircraft was approved for flight into known icing. Two foreign-registered Mooneys that crashed in the US, in 2008 and 2010, are not counted, because only US-registered aircraft are.
The clearest pattern is timing: about a third of the 96 came during take-off or the first climb. Some began with a power loss and a turn back. About 200 feet after take-off from Worcester, Massachusetts, on 24 October 2015, an M20M's crankshaft broke; the pilot turned back, stalled and died. Near Beverly, Massachusetts, on 19 June 2025, a spark plug fitted wrongly by maintenance came loose and the same turn back ended the same way. Others were heavy or hot. Near Dinsmore, California, on 15 July 2021, worn cam lobes cut the climb of an M20J with four aboard, and all four died. Distraction is the third: near St. Augustine, Florida, on 25 March 2024, a cabin door popped open after take-off and the M20K stalled on base.
Maintenance appears often. On 16 September 2017, a piece of shop towel left in the fuel selector starved an M20C's engine near Guilford, Connecticut. On 10 September 2015, a loose oxygen line missed at the annual inspection left an M20TN pilot unconscious at 25,000 feet; the aircraft flew on until its fuel ran out over the Atlantic. Several 2025 and 2026 accidents are still under investigation, among them the take-off crashes near Nampa, Idaho (three dead), and Union, South Carolina (four dead).
Before you fly in or buy a Mooney
- Plan the engine failure on take-off: below a set height, land ahead, not back.
- Latch doors with care. If one opens, keep flying and land normally.
- Work out take-off distance with the real weight and density altitude, and abort early if the climb is poor.
- Use a shop that knows Mooneys and pay for a pre-buy inspection with the logbooks.
- In a turbocharged model, check the oxygen system before each high flight.
- As a passenger, ask the pilot how recently they flew the type and in cloud; you can look up the N-number in the NTSB accident database.
How to tell if you are on one
Flight trackers show M20P, M20T or M20J. For a bigger owner-flown single, see the Beechcraft Bonanza.
Questions people ask
Is the Mooney a safe plane?
Its US record per flight since 2008 sits in the lower half of the small single-engine planes we rate: just behind the Cessna 210 and the Cirrus SR22 and a little ahead of the Beechcraft Bonanza, though their likely ranges overlap, and well behind the Cessna 172 and Diamond DA40. Almost all fatal accidents were private flights, and the official findings point mostly to stalls, weather, engine power losses and maintenance, not to the airframe.
How many fatal Mooney accidents have there been in the US?
Our data counts 96 fatal Mooney M20 accidents in the United States from 2008 up to 28 October 2026, with 164 deaths. Three more are listed but not counted: two test flights and one crash the NTSB found was a suicide.
Why do Mooneys crash after take-off?
In about a third of the 96 counted accidents the aircraft was taking off or in its first climb. The records show engine power losses followed by a turn back that ended in a stall, take-offs from short or high runways in heat, and pilots distracted by an open door or the landing gear while the speed fell.
Is the Mooney M20 still made?
No new M20s are being built. About 11,000 were made from 1955, and about 5,900 remain on the US register, down from about 6,550 in 2014.
Sources
- 1.NTSB docket: Mooney M20M, Worcester, Massachusetts, 24 October 2015 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 2.NTSB docket: Mooney M20F, Beverly, Massachusetts, 19 June 2025 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 3.NTSB docket: Mooney M20K, St. Augustine, Florida, 25 March 2024 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 4.NTSB docket: Mooney M20C, North Branford, Connecticut, 16 September 2017 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 5.NTSB docket: Mooney M20TN, Atlantic City, Atlantic Ocean, 10 September 2015 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 6.NTSB docket: Mooney M20J, Dinsmore, California, 15 July 2021 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 7.NTSB docket: Mooney M20J, Union, South Carolina, 17 April 2026 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 8.NTSB docket: Mooney M20J, Nampa, Idaho, 27 July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 9.SafetyScorer exposure model: FAA aircraft register, FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, OpenSky ADS-B, NTSB airframe hours (opens in a new tab)Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 5,923 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.81, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 0.97 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 70 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
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