Mooney M20E accident near Milledgeville, Georgia, April 29, 2003
On April 29, 2003 at about 11:04 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N201EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milledgeville, Georgia (Baldwin County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during climbout which resulted in a low altitude stall and subsequent in-flight collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2003 · about 11:04 pm local time
- Place
- Milledgeville, Georgia · Baldwin County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N201EZ · no longer on the register · serial 671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to return the airplane to the repair station where he had previously gotten an annual inspection completed. The pilot had complained about a landing gear and strut problem during landing and takeoff. Due to the gear and strut problem, the pilot elected to perform a soft field takeoff from runway 10. According to a witness at the airport, the airplane was first heard in the runup area, and next seen climbing out from the runway. The airplane was then seen about 50 feet above the ground, in a nose high attitude, and in a 60-degree left bank. The airplane continued to bank until the left wingtip was in a 90 degree left bank and then it collided with the ground. The aircraft spun across the ground and came to rest in a tree line left of runway 10 at Baldwin County Airport. Examination of the aircraft the after accident revealed that both wings were bent at the spars, and the nose section forward of the fire wall was displaced to the left. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane during the takeoff and initial climb.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 389 hours in all; 349 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 292 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2003; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Avco Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMLJ Millageville GA at 11:05 pm
- Destination: CXU Camilla GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from MCN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.