Ownership guide
Mooney M20E
818 registered in the US, built from about 1963 to 1975, 4 seats, most with the Lycoming IO-360. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 818
- Built
- 1963 to 1975
- Half built by
- 1965
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming IO-360
Engines installed
- Lycoming IO-360793 aircraft (97%) · 29 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
18 current ADs name the M20E airframe, 2 with a repeat action. Its engines carry 29 more. 12 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
6 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Engine Collector/Tailpipe/Nozzle2
- Engine Fuel Pump1
- Engine Air Intake System1
- Attitude and Direction Data System1
- Fuel Boost Pump1
Parts reported most
- Pump, high pressure2
- Exhaust pipe, defective1
- Air box, broken1
- Indicator, faulty1
- Exhaust pipe, misrepaired1
The latest reports
2024-05-01 · Engine Collector/Tailpipe/Nozzle · Exhaust pipe, defective
On april 2, 2024, n86um (mooney m20e), crashed during an attempted off-airport landing near alpine, arkansas. the pilot was not injured but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. the pilot experienced symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and both carbon monoxide (co) detectors alerted. faa and ntsb conducted inspection of exhaust system and found an unapproved (non-aviation) weld that encompa
2024-05-01 · Engine Air Intake System · Air box, broken
Aircraft crashed during an attempted off-airport landing near alpine, arkansas. the pilot was uninjured but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. the pilot experienced symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and both carbon monoxide (co) detectors alerted. faa and ntsb conducted inspection of exhaust and cabin air ventilation system. the scat air duct that supplied heated air to the cabin vent
2024-05-01 · Engine Collector/Tailpipe/Nozzle · Exhaust pipe, misrepaired
On april 2, 2024, n86um (mooney m20e) crashed during an attempted off-airport landing near alpine, ar. the pilot was uninjured but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. the pilot experienced symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and both carbon monoxide detectors alerted. the faa and ntsb conducted an inspection of exhaust and cabin air ventilation systems. the exhaust system, downstream of t
2020-05-24 · Attitude and Direction Data System · Indicator, faulty
Have had the ki300 attitude indicator replaced twice due to building up erroneous errors and becoming unsafe in flight. it warms up and aligns correct, just like my other, but after anywhere between 10-30 mins of flight it becomes utterly inaccurate causing a safety of flight issue as my backup attitude indicator. some flights, with very light attitude changes, the device's error is tolerable, but
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
45 accidents since 2008, 12 fatal (23 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 5 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of control in flight9
- Loss of engine power (total)5
- Loss of engine power (partial)5
- Loss of control on ground4
- Fuel exhaustion3
- Landing gear not configured3
Phase of flight
- Enroute10
- Initial climb10
- Landing10
- Takeoff8
- Approach2
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-02 | West branch, IA | Enroute: Fuel exhaustion | None | CEN26LA309 |
| 2026-08-09 | Conway, SC | Enroute: Loss of engine power (total) | None | ERA26LA295 |
| 2026-08-04 | Longmont, CO | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | CEN26LA281 |
| 2026-07-16 | Englewood, CO | Landing: Loss of control on ground | Minor | ANC26LA074 |
| 2025-12-16 | Gonzales, LA | Landing: Hard landing | Minor | CEN26LA063 |
| 2025-10-31 | Ballston spa, NY | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total) | Fatal | ERA26FA027 |
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
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 engine collector/tailpipe/nozzle and for high pressure pumps: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 12 equipment ADs name the M20E (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 M20Es are registered in the US?
- 818, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Mooney M20E built?
- From about 1963 to 1975. Half of those registered today were built by 1965.
- What engine does the Mooney M20E have?
- Most have the Lycoming IO-360 (97% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Mooney M20E?
- In 6 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine collector/tailpipe/nozzle, engine fuel pump, engine air intake system, and the part most often reported was a high pressure pump.
- How many accidents has the Mooney M20E had?
- 45 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 12 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control in flight. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Mooney M20E have?
- 18 current ADs name the M20E airframe, 2 of them with a repeat action, and 29 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.