Mooney M20 Safety Record

The airplane’s degraded engine performance due to wear to the intake cam lobes, which diminished the airplane’s takeoff and climb performance, resulting in a subsequent collision with trees.

The pilot’s spatial disorientation during an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in loss of control of the airplane.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and subsequent aerodynamic stall and spin at low altitude due to a possible distraction in the cockpit for which the reason was undetermined.

The pilot’s failure to set the elevator trim properly for takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during climb out, an aerodynamic stall, and the subsequent impact with terrain.

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to initiate and continue the visual flight rules flight into an area of forecast instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control. Contributing was the pilot's lack of instrument flight experience.

The pilot’s failure to ensure adequate fuel onboard and his subsequent failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering which resulted in an aerodynamic stall following a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment due to his use of marijuana.

The pilot’s decision to conduct a practice stall maneuver at low altitude, which resulted in inadequate altitude remaining in which to recover before impacting terrain.

The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum pump and its associated instruments.

The student pilot’s decision to depart on a visual flight rules flight into reduced visibility night conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

Collision with terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's poor preflight planning and poor decision to depart on the accident flight.

The pilot's failure to maintain the proper airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and the airplane experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during a go-around due to his premature flap retraction, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the landing approach as a result of his diversion of attention after a series of non-essential aircraft systems became inoperative following the failure of the engine-driven vacuum pump, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering for landing, which resulted in a cross-control aerodynamic stall, spin, and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action in preventing the stall.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while departing in instrument meteorological conditions, moderate turbulence, and low-level wind shear, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.