Mooney M20J N4665H

Summary

On 14 May 2026 at about 22:23 local time, a Mooney M20J registered N4665H, operated by Winrick LLC, was involved in an accident near Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

14 May 2026 at 22:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Havasu City (HII)

Coordinates

34.5711, -114.3583

Aircraft

Mooney M20J

Registration

N4665H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Winrick LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26LA197

3 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On May 14, 2026, at 1523, a Mooney M20J, N4665H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the flight had departed from Flagstaff, Arizona, following an annual inspection. The flight was destined for San Diego, with a fuel stop at Lake Havasu City Airport (HII), Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The flight was uneventful and they landed at HII without incident. The airplane was topped off with about 25 gallons and as they taxied away from the self-serve fuel station, the engine began to “run rough, sputter, and was missing.” The pilot did a run up to full rpm to clear the engine and then decided to park the airplane at a nearby FBO and asked a mechanic for some assistance; however, the mechanic did not inspect the airframe or engine. The pilot stated that he sumped both fuel tanks and saw no debris or anything unusual in the fuel. He contacted his mechanic and relayed that the engine was running rough. He performed another run-up and it “smoothed out” when he leaned the engine. The pilot decided to continue the flight and departed to their destination. During the takeoff initial climb from runway 14, about 200 ft above ground level (agl) the engine was not producing enough power to maintain altitude, and he elected to make a turn back to the runway to land. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground short of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The airplane was recovered to a secure storage facility.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.