Mooney M20K accident near Eagle, Colorado, December 10, 2002
On December 10, 2002 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N252DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle, Colorado (Eagle County Regional 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
the pilot's failure to remove protective coverings from the engine air scoops during the preflight inspection, resulting in air starvation and a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2002 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Colorado · Eagle County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N252DR · registry record · serial 25-1038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the airplane lifted off the runway and climbed 50 feet (about 10 seconds into the flight), the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to land on the 2,000 feet of runway remaining. The pilot said there was insufficient runway to bring the airplane to a safe stop, so he elected to abort the landing. The airplane did not become airborne, but traveled approximately 300 feet before exiting the runway onto soft, muddy ground. The nose wheel collapsed and was torn off, wrinkling the fuselage behind the firewall. There was a 4-inch hole in the fuselage, and the horizontal stabilizer was also damaged. Airport emergency personnel who responded reported finding the protective coverings for the engine air scoops still in place.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,419 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,419 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 23, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,534 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2002; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EGE Eagle CO at 6:15 pm
- Destination: ACT Waco TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from EGE
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.
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.