Mooney M20M accident near Lincoln, Nebraska, April 10, 2005
On April 10, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20M, registered N21816, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lincoln, Nebraska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadvertently exceeded the design limits of the airplane during the recovery from the loss of control due to the unanticipated severe turbulence. Factors to the accident were the turbulence in clouds and the main landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N21816 · no longer on the register · serial 27-0277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage during recovery from a loss of control during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) when the airplane encountered severe turbulence at 16,000 feet mean sea level (msl) and recovered at 6,000 feet msl before executing a precautionary landing. The commercial pilot reported that a thorough preflight weather briefing was obtained from the Flight Service Station (FSS). Due to severe weather reported in Kansas and Colorado, the pilot filed a route of flight that was further north through Nebraska. The pilot reported, "While in level cruise flight in IMC at 16,000' I suddenly encountered an unanticipated severe downdraft that caused a temporary loss of control of the aircraft. The plane was suddenly in a rapidly descending spiral. I was able to regain control and level off at 6,000' in VMC." The pilot executed a precautionary landing at the nearest suitable airport. While taxiing to the ramp, the right landing gear collapsed. The inspection of the airplane revealed that the right landing gear had collapsed, the wing spar was bent, and the wings were wrinkled. A representative from the airplane's manufacturer reported that the damage to the airplane indicated that the airplane experienced about 12g's of force during the recovery from the turbulence event. The airplane's storm scope was tested by a repair facility after the accident and it tested within normal specifications. There had been no pilot reports (PIREPS) along the pilot's route of flight at the time of the weather brief. A review of the air traffic control (ATC) tapes revealed that the ATC controller and the pilot did not have any communications about turbulence or severe weather prior to the upset occurring.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,902 hours in all; 722 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COU Columbia MO at 4:30 pm
- Destination: BFF Scottsbluff NE
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.