Mooney M20J N4665H accident near Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Preliminary information

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.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for WPR26LA197 for the full record.