Mooney M20R accident near Aspen, Colorado, August 4, 2004
On August 4, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20R, registered N4157, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Pitken County/Sardy Field). It was an instructional 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 maintain control of the airplane. Contributing factors was the pilot flaring the airplane too high, his misunderstanding of the instructor's attempt to take control of the airplane. and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Pitken County/Sardy Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20R · all M20Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4157 · no longer on the register · serial 29-0219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was giving a sales demonstration flight to the pilot, a potential customer. The instructor said the pilot "was fully aware that I was an instructor and that he would relinquish control of the aircraft at any time that I stated that it was my aircraft." The flight to their destination was uneventful. As they made their approach, they were advised that the wind was from 330 degrees at 10 knots, gusts to 15 knots, and low-level wind shear. They extended their downwind leg and made a 360-degree turn to lose altitude. When they turned onto the final approach to runway 15, the PAPI (precision approach path indicator) lights indicated a "normal Mooney approach": descent rate was 400 feet per minute, and indicated airspeed was 90 knots. Due to the tail wind, they crossed the runway threshold "a little high" and fast. About 12 feet above the runway, the pilot raised the aircraft nose to flare for landing. Airspeed dropped rapidly and the instructor told the pilot to relinquish aircraft control and tried to push the control yoke forward. The pilot interpreted the instructor's control inputs as an attempt in helping him to land. The pilot continued to raise the nose and the stall warning horn sounded. As the pilot held the nose high attitude, the instructor applied full power "to keep the nose from falling over from the impending stall." The tail struck the runway and the airplane bounced, then the propeller struck the runway, stopping the engine. The airplane coasted off the runway onto a taxiway.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 4, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 7,006 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from ASE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N4157 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.