# Incident 19960223005999I: Mooney M20J, San Jose, CA, February 23, 1996

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 23, 1996, 19:29 local time
- Place: San Jose, CA
- Airport: San Jose International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3394° N, 121.8950° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Jose, CA, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3394&lon=-121.8950&mi=10
- Aircraft: N201BH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N201BH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,047 total, 235 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960223005999I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: ON FEBRUARY 23, 1996, AT APPROXIMATELY 1929 PST, A MOONEY 201, N201BH, OPERATED BY JERALD R. BERNACCHI, HAD THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE ON A LANDING AT SAN JOSE, CA, ON A FLIGHT FROM SAN JOSE TO SANTA MONICA, CA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND, MR. BERNACCHI, WHO HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, DEPARTED SAN JOSE AT APPROXIMATELY 1905 PST FOR A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. MR. BERNACCHI TOOK OFF FROM SAN JOSE. DURING CLIMB-OUT, HE NOTICED AN UNSAFE GEAR CONDITION. HE NOTIFIED DEPARTURE CONTROL OF THE PROBLEM AND FOLLOWED THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST. THE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT REMAINED ON, SO HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. THE TOWER CONTROLLER STATED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. ON TOUCH-DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND THE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE THEN SLID OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. DAMAGE APPEARED TO BE MINIMAL. NO PILOT DEVIATION OR 8020-11 GENERATED. THIS TERMINATES THE INVESTIGATION AND THE REPORT IS CLOSED.

## Other reports on N201BH (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19840104008069I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840104008069I), Jan 4, 1984: Mooney M20J (N201BH), Hayward, CA, Minor damage. Engine failed on lift off. Landed gear up on remaining runway. Found water in fuel.
- [Incident 19810517033599I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810517033599I), May 17, 1981: Mooney M20J (N201BH), Danville, CA. Forced landing on freeway due to engine failure. Maintenance suspects a thrown connecting rod.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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