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
May 06, 1990	TORRANCE, CA	N300MD	Incident	substantial	WATER CONTAMINATION INTRODUCED INTO THE AIRPLANE FUEL SYSTEM WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS WASHED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN 18 KNOT TAILWIND DURING… WATER CONTAMINATION INTRODUCED INTO THE AIRPLANE FUEL SYSTEM WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS WASHED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN 18 KNOT TAILWIND DURING LANDING ROLL WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE OVERRUNNING THE RUNWAY.
Apr 28, 1990	LITTLE ROCK, AR	N6824N	Serious (1)	substantial	PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENC… PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Apr 13, 1990	CARSON CITY, NV	N231NB	Fatal (2)	destroyed	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Apr 03, 1990	BETHANY, OK	N3514X	Fatal (1)	destroyed	LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHEN THE PILOT STALLED AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY WHILE TURNING TO THE BASE LEG. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF NIGHT FLYING … LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHEN THE PILOT STALLED AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY WHILE TURNING TO THE BASE LEG. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF NIGHT FLYING TIME.
Mar 30, 1990	MURFREESBORO, TN	N7061V	Incident	substantial	FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER BLADE WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED OFF-AIRPORT LANDING.
Feb 18, 1990	GALT, CA	N4093N	Fatal (2)	destroyed	THE PILOT FLEW INTO INSTRUMENT CONDITION, BECAUSE SPATIALLY DISORIENTATED AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. FACTOR WAS FOGGY WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Feb 07, 1990	SAN ANDROS, BF	N9370M	Fatal (5)	destroyed	Investigation pending
Jan 31, 1990	GIBSONIA, PA	N1149G	Incident	substantial	THE COLLISION WITH RODS IN THE FIELD AS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE.
Jan 26, 1990	PARRIS ISLAND, SC	N8199E	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THAT SUFFICIENT FUEL WAS ABOARD FOR THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Jan 19, 1990	BROGUE, PA	N231FH	Minor	destroyed	OFF AIRPORT LANDING DUE TO AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE NO. 2 CRANKSHAFT BEARING.
Jan 11, 1990	MINEOLA, TX	N5792M	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARKNESS AND PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE LIGHTING SYST… THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARKNESS AND PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM.
Jan 07, 1990	SANTA ANA, CA	N74520	Minor	substantial	THE FAILURE OF BOLTS RETAINING THE IDLER SHAFT ALLOWING THE CAM SHIFT TIMING TO CHANGE AND BY ITS FAILURE TO DRIVE THE LEFT MAGNETO.
Dec 24, 1989	FORT LAUDERDALE, FL	N6879N	Incident	destroyed	PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Nov 18, 1989	GEORGETOWN, SC	N1253X	Minor	substantial	THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE STUDENT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE.
Oct 28, 1989	RAVENNA, OH	N7117U	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE THE PILOT OVERSHOOTIN… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE THE PILOT OVERSHOOTING THE APPROACH & LANDING DUE TO MISJUDGING HIS AIRSPEED & DISTANCE, AND A DELAYED GO-AROUND.
Oct 06, 1989	PENSACOLA, FL	N52DB	Incident	minor	IMPROPER RIGGING OF THE LANDING GEAR WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERLOAD FAILURE.
Sep 18, 1989	NEIHART, MT	N3456X	Serious (1)	destroyed	VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE H… VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE HIGH TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Sep 17, 1989	BRENHAM, TX	N9462V	Minor	substantial	IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, IMPROPERLY SECURED OIL LINE TO THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR, FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE, AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF OIL, W… IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, IMPROPERLY SECURED OIL LINE TO THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR, FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE, AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF OIL, WHICH RESULTED IN OIL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO FOLLOW THE SERVICE BULLETIN/INSTRUCTION, AND THE TREE AND ROUGH TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Sep 04, 1989	WEST BRANCH, MI	N5292B	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S DECISION TO HAND PROP THE ENGINE WITH A NON-PILOT AT THE CONTROLS AND THE PASSENGER'S APPLICATION TO FULL THROTTLE. A FACTOR RELATED TO TH… THE PILOT'S DECISION TO HAND PROP THE ENGINE WITH A NON-PILOT AT THE CONTROLS AND THE PASSENGER'S APPLICATION TO FULL THROTTLE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PANIC OF THE PASSENGER.
Aug 23, 1989	LIVERMORE, CA	CFSAB	Fatal (4)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONDUCT LOW LEVEL NIGHT FLIGHT UNDER LOW CEILINGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE DARK NIGHT, LOW CEILING, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIO… THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONDUCT LOW LEVEL NIGHT FLIGHT UNDER LOW CEILINGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE DARK NIGHT, LOW CEILING, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS.
Aug 15, 1989	DAVIS, OK	N6814V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTIAN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRPLANE DURING LANDING.
Aug 13, 1989	MOUND CITY, KS	N6960V	Fatal (3)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS & HEAVY RAIN WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS RELATED TO TH… THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS & HEAVY RAIN WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN.
Aug 12, 1989	MARIETTA, OK	N252WW	Incident	destroyed	THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING (GOING AROUND) AND HIS IMPROPER RAISING OF THE FLAPS AT AN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED.
Aug 01, 1989	FOUKE, AR	N6249U	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, AT NIGHT. THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING RESULTED IN A COLLISION W… THE PILOT'S INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, AT NIGHT. THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A FENCEPOST, GROUND SWERVE, AND COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR.
Jul 21, 1989	SUCHES, GA	N205AG	Fatal (4)	destroyed	THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLIGHT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION DISREGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE IN FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFER. CONTRIBUTING FACTO… THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLIGHT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION DISREGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE IN FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFER. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME.

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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