20230726014739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mooney M20R · Chattanooga, TN · July 26, 2023

Date: July 26, 2023 · 10:55 local
Place: Chattanooga, TN
Airport: Lovell Field
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N62GH
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23LA314
Reported as: Mooney M20R
Reported engine: Continental IO-550 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,041 total

N62GHRegistered now · Mooney M20RS/N 29-0190 · Built 1999 Airframe modelMooney M20R Engine modelContinental IO-550 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Door came open in-flight on climb out. Aircraft remained in pattern and came back around for landing. Hit approach light system and came to stop about 900 feet short of the runway. Both pilot actions contributed to this event as crew coordination and division of workload both played a factor in the event.

As the FAA filed it

DOOR CAME OPEN IN-FLIGHT ON CLIMB OUT. AIRCRAFT REMAINED IN PATTERN AND CAME BACK AROUND FOR LANDING. HIT APPROACH LIGHT SYSTEM AND CAME TO STOP ABOUT 900 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. BOTH PILOT ACTIONS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT AS CREW COORDINATION AND DIVISION OF WORKLOAD BOTH PLAYED A FACTOR IN THE EVENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA23LA314Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportChattanooga, TNThe pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath during final approach, which resulted in a collision with the approach lights short of the runway. Contributing was the pilot’s distraction due to the cabin door opening.Jul 26, 2023 · Substantial damage