Mooney M20M accident near Searchlight, Nevada, June 29, 2006
On June 29, 2006 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20M, registered N2142G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Searchlight, Nevada (Searchlight 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 encounter with rocks and debris on the runway during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2006 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Searchlight, Nevada · Searchlight Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20M · all M20Ms on the register
- Registration
- N2142G · no longer on the register · serial 27-0232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The left main landing gear collapsed during landing after impacting rocks, and the airplane veered off the runway and collided with a berm. The pilot made a routine landing onto a paved uncontrolled airstrip. As the airplane touched down in the center of the runway, the pilot heard a heavy "thud" indicating something had struck the airplane. During the landing rollout, the airplane became uncontrollable and turned 90 degrees to the left and impacted a 2-foot-high dirt embankment. After exiting the airplane the pilot inspected the left main landing gear and found the tire blown and the gear collapsed. In addition, he found 2- to 3-inch holes on the leading edge of the elevator on the right side. After close inspection of the touchdown area, the pilot discovered several large rocks scattered across the runway surface. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 794 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AFIB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVGT North Las Vegas NV at 2:50 pm
- Destination: K1L3 Searchlight NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,040 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from HND, 34 miles away
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.
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.