# Accident 20081020850079A: Mooney M20J, Avalon, CA, October 20, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 20, 2008, 13:15 local time
- Place: Avalon, CA
- Airport: Catalina
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4014° N, 118.4219° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4014&lon=-118.4219&mi=10
- Aircraft: N201EN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201EN-2018-01-11) (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
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A1B6D
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 1,250 total, 78 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA019) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081020850079A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON OCTOBER 20, 2008, ABOUT 1315, A MOONEY M20J, N201EN, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 22 AT AVALON AIRPORT.  THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE KILLED, ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.  ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DETERMINDED THE RIGHT WING TIP OF THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY.  PASSENGER STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHAKING/SHUTTERING AFTER LIFT-OFF.  AN EYEWITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT, WHO WAS LOCATED ON THE ROAD BELOW THE AIRPORT DEPARTURE RUNWAY, OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN A NOSE DOWN RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND FELL INTO THE VALLEY BELOW RESULTING WITH A FIRE ERUPTING IN THE AREA WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.  THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR09FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA019), Oct 20, 2008: Mooney M20J (N201EN), Avalon, CA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff while sufficient runway remained to…

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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