# Accident 20220209001539A: Mooney M20J, Paradise, CA, February 9, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 9, 2022, 10:35 local time
- Place: Paradise, CA
- Airport: Paradise Skypark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7057° N, 121.6167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7057&lon=-121.6167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N201VJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N201VJ-2023-11-27) (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: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 142 total, 37 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA097) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220209001539A

## Narrative

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

A STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING TURBULANCE WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 35 AT THE PARADISE SKYPARK AIRPORT. HE SAID THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH 300 FEET AGL THE DESCENT BECAME MORE RAPID. AT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALREADY TOO LOW AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG CROSSWIND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, COWLING, NOSEGEAR, BOTH WINGS, AND THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE.

## 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 WPR22LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA097), Feb 9, 2022: Mooney M20J (N201VJ), Paradise, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath which resulted in a collision with 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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