# Accident 20230726014739A: Mooney M20R, Chattanooga, TN, July 26, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 26, 2023, 10:55 local time
- Place: Chattanooga, TN
- Airport: Lovell Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0367° N, 85.2023° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0367&lon=-85.2023&mi=10
- Aircraft: N62GH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N62GH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20R (registry code 5870225, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20R
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,041 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA314) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230726014739A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ERA23LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA314), Jul 26, 2023: Mooney M20R (N62GH), Chattanooga, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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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