Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K
Aircraft Manufacturer: Mooney Aircraft Corp.
Model: M20K
About the Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K
The M20K is the most-registered model in Mooney's active lineup, and it carries that standing on its own: it makes up about 90% of the manufacturer's active registered fleet, with more than 700 airframes on the U.S. civil registry. Set against everything the type has ever held on the registry, about a third of all M20K records have since been deregistered.
On the safety dimension the M20K reads as a middle-of-the-pack type. Its safety percentile sits at about half of a peer cohort matched on type, engine class, and seat range, where a higher percentile means a higher accident rate, so the M20K shows neither a higher nor a lower accident rate than most comparable types. That standing rests on about 3.7 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years over the model's FAA-registration exposure. Of 55 recorded accidents for the M20K, 11 were fatal.
Aircraft Details
| Manufacturer | Mooney Aircraft Corp. |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer Serial Number | 5870220 |
| Model | M20K |
| Category | Land |
| Aircraft Type | Fixed wing single engine |
| Weight | Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight) |
| Engine Type | Reciprocating |
| Number of Engines | 1 engine |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats |
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Safety Analysis
Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.
Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).
37 exact, 18 recovered, 0 provisional
MethodologyTotal recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.
11 fatal accidents.
20.0% of recorded accidents were fatal.
Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.
14,945
Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).
Within its peer cohort
Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).
This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →
Accidents by year
Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →
Investigations take 12–36 months to finalise, so the trailing years come in incomplete. Recent years are adjusted upward for that lag. Observed counts show as solid bars, the lag-adjusted estimate shows hatched.
Phase of flight
Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.
Finding category
Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.
Injury severity
NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.
Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (55)· NUSN (1)
Recorded Accidents
All 55 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.
| Date | Location | Tail | Damage | Highest injury | Phase of flight | Finding categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foley, AL | N57229 | Substantial | Minor | Enroute | unknown | |
| Pearland, TX | N305EP | Substantial | None | Takeoff | unknown | |
| Henderson, NV | N66JG | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Elizabeth, LA | N231MW | Substantial | None | Landing | unknown | |
| Fairmont, WV | N1005U | Substantial | Serious | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Conway, SC | N3777 | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| St. Augustine, FL | N4387W | Substantial | Fatal | Approach | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Farmington, CA | N38RK | Substantial | None | Enroute | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Tullahoma, TN | N231GG | Substantial | None | Emergency descent | Not determined | |
| Lamar, CO | N1167J | Substantial | None | Enroute | Aircraft, Environmental issues, Personnel issues | |
| Fostoria, OH | N1152K | Substantial | None | Emergency descent | Aircraft | |
| Hillsborough Township, NJ | N262MK | Substantial | Minor | Initial climb | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Lakeway, TX | N304MA | Substantial | None | Enroute | Aircraft | |
| Addison, TX | N231GZ | Substantial | Serious | Approach | Aircraft | |
| Hanna City, IL | N30EV | Substantial | Fatal | Enroute | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Camarillo, CA | N305L | Destroyed | Fatal | Takeoff | Environmental issues, Personnel issues | |
| New Shoreham, RI | N110CG | Substantial | None | Takeoff | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Dawson, GA | N9514R | Substantial | Serious | Enroute | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Athens, GA | N231DW | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Not determined | |
| Sylmar, CA | N777WP | Substantial | Fatal | Approach | Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| New Orleans, LA | N3928H | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Minden, NV | N231VM | Substantial | None | Approach | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Katy, TX | N56359 | Destroyed | Fatal | Maneuvering | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Paramus, NJ | N5756W | Substantial | Minor | Prior to flight | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Baker City, OR | N231EC | Substantial | Fatal | Enroute | Aircraft, Personnel issues |
Page 1 of 3 (showing accidents 1–25 of 55).