Mooney M20E accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, December 22, 2010
On December 22, 2010 at about 6:59 pm local time, a Mooney M20E, registered N79869, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR missed approach) near Colorado Springs, Colorado (Colorado Springs Municipal Air airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to initiate an approach into weather conditions where the ceiling and visibility were below the minimums for the approach and where reported icing existed, in an airplane not certified for flight in icing conditions, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during the missed approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2010 · about 6:59 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Springs, Colorado · Colorado Springs Municipal Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N79869 · no longer on the register · serial 532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial phase of an instrument approach to the destination airport, the airplane was in visual meteorological conditions above clouds that contained reported icing conditions. Prior to and during the approach, the air traffic controller, who was vectoring the airplane, advised the pilot of two pilot reports of icing conditions encountered immediately after departure. The airplane entered the clouds at 8,500 feet and reported a missed approach several feet above the decision altitude; the pilot did not report any problems or declare an emergency. No further radio communications were recorded. The wreckage was located on the airport, about 440 feet south of the approach end of the runway. The ground scars and damage to the airplane were consistent with a low-airspeed and high-angle-of-attack impact. Instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions existed over the area with conditions favorable for icing below 8,500 feet. AIRMET advisories for IFR, mountain obscuration, turbulence, and icing conditions had been issued. At the time of the accident, visibility was reported as less than 1/4 mile in freezing fog, with a ceiling at 100 feet. The approach minimums were 200-foot ceilings and 1/2 mile visibility. The airplane was not equipped with anti-icing or deicing equipment and was not approved for flight in known icing conditions.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR missed approach) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Below approach minima › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 913 hours in all; 58 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 Series (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 4:17 pm
- Destination: COS Colorado Springs CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17L, 13,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from KCOS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.