Mooney M20F accident near Carrizozo, New Mexico, August 2, 2024
On August 2, 2024 at about 7:04 pm local time, a 1967 Mooney M20F, registered N9954L, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Carrizozo, New Mexico (Carrizozo Muni 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 airplane’s encounter with a downdraft after takeoff, which resulted in a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2024 · about 7:04 pm local time
- Place
- Carrizozo, New Mexico · Carrizozo Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F, built 1967 · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9954L · registry record · serial 670487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the airplane reported that, prior to takeoff, he observed adverse weather conditions that were approaching the airport from about 5 to 10 nautical miles away. During takeoff, when the airplane was about 50 feet above the ground, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The airplane’s left wing then dropped and the airplane entered a descent. The airplane impacted terrain and fences, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,636 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,317 as pilot in command; 789 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 21, 2024
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,062.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2024; 20.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 5,062 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F37 Carrizozo NM at 7:11 pm
- Destination: KSAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,944 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.50 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from KSRR, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSRR 021915Z AUTO 13015G20KT 10SM CLR 29/10 A3050 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR24LA264.