Mooney M20E accident near Gonzales, Louisiana, December 16, 2025
On December 16, 2025 at about 3:40 pm local time, a 1968 Mooney M20E, registered N9081V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gonzales, Louisiana (Louisiana Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper pitch control that resulted in a hard landing, and his improper recovery from multiple bounced landings. Contributing to the accident was the safety pilot’s delayed response to the initial bounced landing which led to the runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2025 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gonzales, Louisiana · Louisiana Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20E, built 1968 · all M20Es on the register
- Registration
- N9081V · registry record · serial 690015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and his safety pilot were conducting a proficiency flight for insurance purposes. According to the pilot, he began the landing flare too high and the airplane bounced when the main wheels touched down. The safety pilot reported that he monitored the pilot’s remedial action to the bounced landing. According to the safety pilot, the pilot increased airplane pitch but did not increase engine power which resulted in a second bounced landing. The safety pilot then took over the flight controls and advanced the throttle to maximum rpm. The safety pilot stated that he was unable to regain directional control and the airplane touched down a third time, veered left, passed through a fence, and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the horizontal stabilizer. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the safety pilot stated that the accident might have been prevented had he taken over controls and/or called for an aborted landing sooner.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Other
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 706.9 hours in all; 46.4 in this make and model; 3.6 in the last 90 days; 0.5 in the last 30 days; 587.2 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,665 hours in all; 447 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 20.7 in the last 30 days; 1,426 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 27, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,852 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,575 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 28,955 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Baton Rouge LA at 3:18 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from KREG
Weather report (METAR): METAR KREG 161535Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 08/00 A3030 RMK AO2 T00821003
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA063.