Mooney M20J Crashes at Lake Havasu City Airport, Three Hospitalized

A Mooney M20J crashed at Lake Havasu City Airport in Arizona on May 14, hospitalizing all three people aboard after the pilot attempted to return to the runway following a suspected power loss during takeoff.

The aircraft, registration N4665H, went down at approximately 3:09 p.m. local time at Lake Havasu City Airport (KHII). Eyewitness video posted on social media showed the pilot attempting a 180-degree turn back toward the runway — a maneuver aviation experts call the "impossible turn" due to its difficulty and risk at low altitude.

The crash was one of two small-aircraft emergencies reported in Lake Havasu City within 24 hours. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident and is expected to release a preliminary report detailing the sequence of events in the coming weeks.