Mooney M20J accident near Lamar, Colorado, March 19, 2014
On March 19, 2014 at about 10:24 pm local time, a 1977 Mooney M20J, registered N201VA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lamar, Colorado (Pvt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot allowed the airplane to liftoff without sufficient airspeed which resulted in a stall and subsequent impact with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2014 · about 10:24 pm local time
- Place
- Lamar, Colorado · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J NO SERIES, built 1977 · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201VA · registry record · serial 24-0299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he had not flown the airplane for years, but once or twice a year, he would taxi the airplane up and down his private airstrip. He stated that on this occasion, he was taxied the airplane on the airstrip, and for some unknown reason, he decided to pull back on the yoke and allow the airplane to become airborne. The airplane did not have sufficient airspeed to stay airborne. The airplane stalled and impacted the terrain in a nose down attitude resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane which would have precluded normal operation.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,899 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Lamar CO
- Destination: PVT Lamar CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LAA, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.