Mooney M20F accident near Denver, Colorado, October 2, 2020
On October 2, 2020 at about 4:35 pm local time, a 1974 Mooney M20F, registered N7798M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Denver, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the landing gear motor that prevented the gear from extending fully to the down and locked position, which resulted in a gear collapse on landing and a subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2020 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F NO SERIES, built 1974 · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7798M · registry record · serial 22-0040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during takeoff the cabin door opened and during the climb and on raising the landing gear, he failed to receive the gear “UP” light. The passenger attempted to close the door while the pilot recycled the landing gear. The pilot reported that gear had likely not retracted based on the airplane’s failure to climb and gain airspeed as it would have, had the gear retracted. The pilot decided to return to the airport and contacted the air traffic control tower to visually assess the gear position. While maneuvering for the air traffic control tower to verify the gear, the pilot continued to cycle the gear up and down receiving no indications of a change in the gear position. The pilot reported the floorboard landing gear position indicator showed “GEAR DOWN” giving him the indication that the landing gear was down. The air traffic controller advised the pilot the gear appeared to be in the down position and cleared the airplane to land. The airplane touched down near the 1,000-foot marker on the runway on the two main wheels. A “split second” later, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid off the right side of the runway impacting a runway light with the right wing. The airplane’s right wing sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the landing gear showed the landing gear motor would engage for about 5 seconds and then stop leaving the landing gear in an intermediate position. A subsequent bench test of the landing gear motor resulted in the motor failing to engage or move, indicative of it being inoperative.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 467 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 405 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,286.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 2020; 118.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 3,287 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 10,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KAPA
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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.