Probable cause
The pilot allowed the airplane to liftoff without sufficient airspeed which resulted in a stall and subsequent impact with the terrain.
NTSB analysis
The pilot reported he had not flown the airplane for years, but once or twice a year, he would taxi the airplane up and down his private airstrip. He stated that on this occasion, he was taxied the airplane on the airstrip, and for some unknown reason, he decided to pull back on the yoke and allow the airplane to become airborne. The airplane did not have sufficient airspeed to stay airborne. The airplane stalled and impacted the terrain in a nose down attitude resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane which would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14CA440 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 19, 2014
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Lamar, Colorado
- Nearest airport
- Pvt (PVT)
- Highest injury
- Serious
- Serious injuries
- 1
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Mooney M20J
- N-number
- N201VA
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1977
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.