Mooney M20G accident near Lantana, Florida, May 18, 2006
On May 18, 2006 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Mooney M20G, registered N12RH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lantana, Florida (Palm Beach County Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power during initial climb due to water contamination in the fuel. Contributing factors were the deteriorated fuel cap o-ring and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2006 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lantana, Florida · Palm Beach County Park
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20G · all M20Gs on the register
- Registration
- N12RH · registry record · serial 68-0078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's engine lost power about 100 feet above the ground during takeoff initial climb. When the engine ceased to operate, the pilot allowed the airspeed to decay, and the airplane stalled and descended to ground impact. Water contamination was found in the left wing fuel tank and in the carburetor. The fuel selector was in the left tank position at the time of the accident. The left fuel cap o-ring was severely dry rotted and cracked. The airplane had been parked outside during the preceding nine days, and there had been a significant amount of rainfall. The airplane had been fueled the day before the accident; however, no other aircraft that received fuel from the same fuel truck reported any problems with water contamination. The source of the water contamination was likely rain water that entered the left fuel tank through the deteriorated fuel cap o-ring. If the pilot had drained the airplane's fuel sumps during preflight inspection, he would likely have discovered the fuel contamination.
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: 500 hours in all
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-AID (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KLNA Lantana FL at 12:50 pm
- Destination: MYEF Exuma Island
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 3,421 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PBI, 5 miles away
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.