Mooney M20J accident near Tower, Michigan, March 10, 2003
On March 10, 2003 at about 1:36 am local time, a Mooney M20J, registered N201ZM, was destroyed in an accident near Tower, Michigan. 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 failure to maintain aircraft control during cruise flight. A factor to the accident was the clouds and night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2003 · about 1:36 am local time
- Place
- Tower, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20J · all M20Js on the register
- Registration
- N201ZM · no longer on the register · serial 24-0522
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft departed controlled flight during cruise flight and impacted terrain. The flight was operating at night in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). While en route the pilot reported that the airplane was "in the soup" and he wanted to return to the departure airport. The controller cleared the pilot to climb to 7,000 feet msl and fly direct to the departure airport. The pilot confirmed the clearance and there were no additional radio transmissions received from the accident airplane. The aircraft impacted wooded terrain in a near vertical attitude. No pre-impact anomalies were found with the airframe, powerplant, propeller, or accessories.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 731 hours in all; 494 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 624 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 31, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,150.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI
- Destination: SLH Cheboygan MI
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 330° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; scat at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 5°F (-15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from SLH, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N201ZM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.