How many accidents has the Mooney M20 had?

The NTSB has recorded 1232 events involving the Mooney M20: 353 fatal, 137 serious, 193 minor injuries, and 546 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Mooney M20 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Mooney M20 has 1232 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Mooney M20 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 1232 events recorded from 1982 to 2025.

1232

All Events

546

Incidents

193

Minor

137

Serious

353

Fatal (633 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jul 10, 2022	Oxnard, CA	N6416U	Incident	substantial	Fuel starvation due to an inappropriately maintained and modified fuel selector valve.
Jun 18, 2022	Stillwater, OK	N5895Q	Incident	substantial	The inadequate maintenance and inspection of the engine induction air coupling, which impeded airflow to the engine and resulted in the subsequent par… The inadequate maintenance and inspection of the engine induction air coupling, which impeded airflow to the engine and resulted in the subsequent partial loss of engine power.
Jun 12, 2022	Charleston, SC	N9158D	Incident	substantial	The failure of the torsion spring inside the drive clutch assembly of the landing gear actuator which prevented normal and manual extension of the lan… The failure of the torsion spring inside the drive clutch assembly of the landing gear actuator which prevented normal and manual extension of the landing gear.
Feb 23, 2022	Balsas, OF	PT-DKK	Incident	unk	Investigation pending
Feb 20, 2022	Crete, NE	N6750U	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.
Feb 11, 2022	Naples, FL	C-FOXV	Incident	minor	The biplane pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in an on-ground collision with another airplane while taxiing.
Dec 08, 2021	La Aurora, OF	N74521	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Nov 15, 2021	Tampa, FL	N21890	Incident	substantial	The total loss of engine power due to the failure of maintenance personnel to properly tighten the fuel supply line b-nut at the manifold valve during… The total loss of engine power due to the failure of maintenance personnel to properly tighten the fuel supply line b-nut at the manifold valve during installation.
Oct 17, 2021	Lynchburg, VA	N669GJ	Incident	substantial	The uncommanded landing gear retraction following a hard landing for reasons that could not be determined.
Sep 16, 2021	Howell, MI	N823SP	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane’s fuel quantity, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Jul 22, 2021	New Albany, MS	N6474Q	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the landing that resulted in a collision with a fence post. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the … The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the landing that resulted in a collision with a fence post. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the alternator drive belt during cruise flight for unknown reasons and the subsequent inoperative electrical system when the airplane’s battery became depleted.
Jul 01, 2021	Comodoro Rivadavia, OF	LV-LTT	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jun 28, 2021	Nampa, ID	N381KH	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to use the landing checklist and to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Jun 20, 2021	West Glacier, MT	N5765N	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s inadequate performance planning and decision to continue the takeoff which, resulted in a runway overrun and collision with terrain.
Apr 27, 2021	Lübeck, GE	N55HR	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Apr 03, 2021	College Park, MD	N2953L	Incident	substantial	Improper maintenance of the airplane by its owners and their failure to have qualified maintenance personnel determine the root cause of water infiltr… Improper maintenance of the airplane by its owners and their failure to have qualified maintenance personnel determine the root cause of water infiltration into the fuel system. Also causal was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to remove all of the water contamination from the fuel system prior to the flight and resulted in the partial loss of engine power during the takeoff. Contributing was the pilot’s exceedance of the critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent hard landing.
Mar 27, 2021	Alturas, CA	N9146Q	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a bounced landing, loss of airplane control and subsequent collision with terrain.
Feb 24, 2021	Livermore, CA	N3254F	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of corrosion and rust in the fuel injection servo.
Oct 02, 2020	Denver, CO	N7798M	Incident	substantial	Failure of the landing gear motor that prevented the gear from extending fully to the down and locked position, which resulted in a gear collapse on l… Failure of the landing gear motor that prevented the gear from extending fully to the down and locked position, which resulted in a gear collapse on landing and a subsequent loss of directional control.
Sep 09, 2020	Weston, FL	N120GX	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power because of the overheating and failure of the connecting rod bearings due to a lack of lubrication for reasons that could… A total loss of engine power because of the overheating and failure of the connecting rod bearings due to a lack of lubrication for reasons that could not be determined.
Aug 19, 2020	Hillsboro, OR	N2933L	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude on short final due to an encounter with a down draft and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Jul 18, 2020	Block Island, RI	N58066	Incident	substantial	A hard landing and subsequent loss of control.
Jul 04, 2020	Neenah, WI	N3440X	Incident	substantial	The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced, hard landing and subsequent runway overrun.
Jun 05, 2020	Healdsburg, CA	N201JK	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a landing gear collapse.
Jun 01, 2020	Lahoma, OK	N6728U	Incident	substantial	The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot’s improper fuel planning before the flight.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Mooney M20 Safety Record

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