# Accident 20180212002479A: Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K, Chuckanut, WA, February 12, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 12, 2018, 19:10 local time
- Place: Chuckanut, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.6550° N, 122.4653° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.6550&lon=-122.4653&mi=10
- Aircraft: N123JN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N123JN-2020-09-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20K (registry code 5870220, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 760 total, 57 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC18FA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18FA024) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180212002479A

## Narrative

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

WHILE DESCENDING FOR APPROACH TO BELLINGHAM AIRPORT (BLI), AIRCRAFT STRUCK MOUNTAIN TOP TREES THEN TERRAIN ON DOWNWARD SLOPE OF MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DISINTEGRATION.

THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED BLI AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND REPORTED HIS POSITION ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. BLI TOWER CONTROL ISSUED CLEARANCE FOR A VFR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 34 AND REQUESTED A RADIO REPORT AT 3 MILES. THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACTS FROM THE PILOT.

RADAR DATA PLACED THE LAST RECORDED POSITION AT 9 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. IT INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELLING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,975 FEET AND GROUNDSPEED OF 146 KNOTS ON A COURSE OF 336 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DESCENDED AT A SLOW RATE OF BETWEEN 300 AND 600 FPM FROM A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 4,300 FT.

## 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 ANC18FA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18FA024), Feb 13, 2018: Mooney M20 (N123JN), Chuckanut, WA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during a visual approach in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

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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