Ownership guide
Mooney M20C
1,237 registered in the US, built from about 1961 to 1977, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming O-360. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 1,237
- Built
- 1961 to 1977
- Half built by
- 1965
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming O-360
Engines installed
- Lycoming O-3601,195 aircraft (97%) · 24 ADs, 3 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
15 current ADs name the M20C airframe, 2 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 24 more. 15 equipment ADs name the model.
The ones that come back
ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.
- 2023-02-04Requires inspecting to determine whether a certain elevator balance weight is installedElevator structure · AirplaneRepeat actionJan 27, 2023
- 98-24-11Requires inspecting the aileron control links for the installation of a reinforcing gusset; and, if no gusset is installed, repetitively inspecting the aileron control links (left-hand and right-hand) for cracksMooney Aircraft Corporation Models M20B, M20C, M20D, M20E, M20F, M20G, M20J, M20K, M20L, M20M, and M20R Airplanes · AirplaneRepeat actionNov 23, 1998
What gets reported
5 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Fuselage, Landing Gear Attach Fittings2
- Engine Collector/Tailpipe/Nozzle1
- Hydraulic System, Main1
- Landing Gear Actuator1
Parts reported most
- Support, cracked2
- Exhaust duct, leaking1
- Hydraulic line, corroded1
- Actuator, worn1
The latest reports
2025-07-10 · Fuselage, Landing Gear Attach Fittings · Support, cracked
Landing gear actuator aft lug support bracket cracked
2024-10-14 · Fuselage, Landing Gear Attach Fittings · Support, cracked
Landing gear actuator aft lug support cracked.
2024-10-03 · Engine Collector/Tailpipe/Nozzle · Exhaust duct, leaking
The power flow exhaust installed on this ac was found to have exteme leakage into cabin. this was a rebuilt exhaust lhe owner had lnstalled on 10/22/22 after the the first powerflow exhaust was found leaking. this is tho seventh powerflow exhaust system that has come into my shop and found to be leaking. powerllow wants to blame prop vibration for the leakage but i haven't found any evidence to
2019-03-05 · Hydraulic System, Main · Hydraulic line, corroded
Hydraulic line from reservoir that runs along the inside of the firewall and down the right cabin wall to just below the forward edge of cabin door was found corroded through in two location. the first location was where the line runs behind the radio cooling vent. this corrosion resulted from contact with the scat duct to the cooling vent. the second location was behind the right lower side panel
From the FAA's Service Difficulty Reporting System, refreshed monthly. Counts of what was reported, not failure rates: most of general aviation reports voluntarily, and a busy training fleet reports more than a private one.
Accident record
63 accidents since 2008, 21 fatal (34 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 15 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)14
- Loss of control in flight10
- Loss of engine power (partial)5
- Fuel starvation5
- Fuel exhaustion4
- Aerodynamic stall/spin3
Phase of flight
- Enroute19
- Approach12
- Initial climb11
- Takeoff8
- Landing5
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-31 | Mount hood, OR | Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin | Fatal | WPR26FA320 |
| 2025-10-07 | Watsonville, CA | Taxi: Ground collision | None | WPR26LA009 |
| 2023-11-21 | Plano, TX | Approach: Loss of control in flight | Fatal | CEN24FA042 |
| 2023-10-22 | Morganton, NC | Takeoff: Loss of control on ground | None | ERA24LA086 |
| 2023-01-28 | Calhoun, GA | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial) | Serious | ERA23LA120 |
| 2022-07-27 | Farmington, MO | Landing: Landing gear collapse | None | CEN22LA392 |
From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.
What it costs to run
Per hour flown
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Filled in for a Mooney M20C with the Lycoming O-360: the engine maker's published overhaul time. Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Before you buy one
- Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
- For each repeat-action AD (2 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
- Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
- Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the fuselage, landing gear attach fittings and for cracked supports: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 15 equipment ADs name the M20C (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
- Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
- Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.
The rest of the M20 family
Questions
- How many Mooney M20Cs are registered in the US?
- 1,237, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Mooney M20C built?
- From about 1961 to 1977. Half of those registered today were built by 1965.
- What engine does the Mooney M20C have?
- Most have the Lycoming O-360 (97% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Mooney M20C?
- In 5 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were fuselage, landing gear attach fittings, engine collector/tailpipe/nozzle, hydraulic system, main, and the part most often reported was a cracked support.
- How many accidents has the Mooney M20C had?
- 63 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 21 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Mooney M20C have?
- 15 current ADs name the M20C airframe, 2 of them with a repeat action, and 24 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.
Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.