Ownership guide
Mooney M20F
708 registered in the US, built from about 1966 to 1976, 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
- 708
- Built
- 1966 to 1976
- Half built by
- 1967
- Seats
- 4
- Engine type
- Piston
- Most common engine
- Lycoming IO-360
Engines installed
- Lycoming IO-360680 aircraft (96%) · 29 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
19 current ADs name the M20F 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
8 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Engine Mount Section1
- Nose/Tail Landing Gear1
- Fuel Storage1
- Main Landing Gear Strut/Axle/Truck1
- Autopilot System1
- Mixture Control1
Parts reported most
- Mount, cracked1
- Leg assy, sheared1
- Fuel line, broken1
- Landing gear, failed insp1
- Servo, failed1
- Rod end, separated1
The latest reports
2025-12-20 · Autopilot System · Servo, failed
During descent from big bear, the garmin autopilot abruptly disconnected following failure of the gsa 28 pitch servo. immediately prior to the failure, i observed a momentary pitch-trim-down indication. the aircraft uses manual pitch trim. upon servo/autopilot disconnect, the aircraft pitched up aggressively and airspeed decayed rapidly. immediate and substantial forward control input was required
2025-07-17 · Engine Mount Section · Mount, cracked
During engine overhaul and annual inspection, the r/h lower engine mount was found cracked. this was hidden until the engine mount was removed. recommend that mechanics visually inspect the lower engine mount area where it affixes to the firewal, with a borescope or when the exhaust is removed, use a magnifying glass to inspect the area. other factors to be considered: the aircraft had changed fr
2025-03-12 · Nose/Tail Landing Gear · Leg assy, sheared
Nose/front landing gear sheared after encountering 2-degree drainage indenture/dip when taxing from parking. examination of nose gear assembly revealed that front gear fork/gear leg of the nose gear assembly (pn: 54004-505) at welding point, just above the shock discs (pn: 530021-000); reference m20 manual chapter 32-20-00, figure 1.
2024-08-01 · Fuel Storage · Fuel line, broken
#1 fuel injection line came apart at solder joint by injector b-nut. cylinder shut down in flight and caused a fuel leak. aircraft made emergency landing at military installation. part is 1029.9 hours since new from factory. repetitive inspection under ad i15-19-07 s not sufficient to prevent future accidents. this is the third time we have seen this issue.
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
37 accidents since 2008, 11 fatal (23 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 2 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)5
- Aerodynamic stall/spin4
- Landing gear collapse4
- Loss of control on ground4
- Loss of engine power (total)3
- Loss of engine power (partial)2
Phase of flight
- Landing12
- Enroute8
- Initial climb7
- Approach4
- Maneuvering4
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-07 | Titusville, FL | Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total) | Fatal | CEN26FA310 |
| 2025-06-19 | Beverly, MA | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial) | Fatal | ERA25FA230 |
| 2025-04-11 | Reliance, TN | Enroute: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | WPR25FA126 |
| 2024-11-25 | Fullerton, CA | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total) | Serious | WPR25LA048 |
| 2024-09-08 | Cottonwood, AZ | Enroute: Abrupt maneuver | Serious | WPR24LA305 |
| 2024-08-02 | Carrizozo, NM | Initial climb: Other weather encounter | None | WPR24LA264 |
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 mount section and for cracked mounts: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 12 equipment ADs name the M20F (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 M20Fs are registered in the US?
- 708, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Mooney M20F built?
- From about 1966 to 1976. Half of those registered today were built by 1967.
- What engine does the Mooney M20F have?
- Most have the Lycoming IO-360 (96% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Mooney M20F?
- In 8 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were engine mount section, nose/tail landing gear, fuel storage, and the part most often reported was a cracked mount.
- How many accidents has the Mooney M20F had?
- 37 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 11 of them fatal. The most common defining event was controlled flight into terrain or object (cfit). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Mooney M20F have?
- 19 current ADs name the M20F 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.