Mooney M20K accident near Howell, Michigan, July 6, 2008
On July 6, 2008, a Mooney M20K, registered N252EM, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Howell, Michigan (Livingston County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collision with a deer during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the dusk light condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2008
- Place
- Howell, Michigan · Livingston County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252EM · registry record · serial 25-1027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a deer during the takeoff roll at dusk. The pilot immediately aborted the takeoff and returned to the ramp area. The left wing, lower fuselage, propeller, and left main landing gear were damaged.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Low light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,882 hours in all; 955 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,743 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-360-MB2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OZW Howell MI
- Destination: OZW Howell MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CHI08CA178.