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20260523006839A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Mooney M20J · Woodlake, CA · May 23, 2026

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 23, 2026 · 10:56 local
Place
Woodlake, CA
Airport
Woodlake
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N4452H
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR26FA198
Reported as
Mooney M20J
Reported engine
Lycoming I0360
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
656 total
N4452HRegistered now · Mooney M20JS/N 24-0738 · Built 1978Airframe modelMooney M20JEngine modelLycoming I0360 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.

The aircraft had been stationed at Woodlake Airport undergoing extensive airframe repairs and an engine inspection following a gear-up landing and sudden-stoppage propeller strike that occurred on November 1, 2025. On the day of the accident, the pilot arrived with a companion to fly the restored aircraft back to its home airport.

During the initial departure, the pilot climbed to approximately 5,000 feet, reported an overheating #3 cylinder to his companion (who was flying a separate aircraft), and returned to Woodlake Airport. The pilot did not perform mechanical troubleshooting; instead, he allowed the engine to cool and stated his intention to depart again while running the fuel mixture "rich" to mitigate cylinder temperatures.

Following the second departure, the primary witness observed the Mooney at approximately 500 feet AGL operating at a low air speed and attempting to turn back toward the airport. The aircraft subsequently stalled, struck powerlines, impacted the ground, and caught fire. Emergency services (911) were notified shortly after by an unidentified caller.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN STATIONED AT WOODLAKE AIRPORT UNDERGOING EXTENSIVE AIRFRAME REPAIRS AND AN ENGINE INSPECTION FOLLOWING A GEAR-UP LANDING AND SUDDEN-STOPPAGE PROPELLER STRIKE THAT OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 1, 2025. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT ARRIVED WITH A COMPANION TO FLY THE RESTORED AIRCRAFT BACK TO ITS HOME AIRPORT.

DURING THE INITIAL DEPARTURE, THE PILOT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET, REPORTED AN OVERHEATING #3 CYLINDER TO HIS COMPANION (WHO WAS FLYING A SEPARATE AIRCRAFT), AND RETURNED TO WOODLAKE AIRPORT. THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM MECHANICAL TROUBLESHOOTING; INSTEAD, HE ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO COOL AND STATED HIS INTENTION TO DEPART AGAIN WHILE RUNNING THE FUEL MIXTURE "RICH" TO MITIGATE CYLINDER TEMPERATURES.

FOLLOWING THE SECOND DEPARTURE, THE PRIMARY WITNESS OBSERVED THE MOONEY AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL OPERATING AT A LOW AIR SPEED AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY STALLED, STRUCK POWERLINES, IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND CAUGHT FIRE. EMERGENCY SERVICES (911) WERE NOTIFIED SHORTLY AFTER BY AN UNIDENTIFIED CALLER.

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 WPR26FA198Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportWoodlake, CAOn May 23, 2026, about 1034 Pacific daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N4452H, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Woodlake, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91…May 23, 2026 · Destroyed

Other reports on N4452H · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20251101017299ILanding: Touchdown · Woodlake, CAN4452H flew into O42 Woodlake and was not prepared for the shorter runway. PIC performed a go around to survey the runway. Upon landing, PIC forgot to deploy his landing gear and touched down with his gear up.Nov 1, 2025 · Minor damageAccident 19810423018479ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Norwalk, IAAircraft damaged during forced landing. Engine did not respond to throttle & pilot made emergency landing.Apr 23, 1981 · Substantial damageIncident 19790811030549IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Steamboat Sprin, CODuring landing rollout, aircraft struck and killed a deer. Damage to cowling.Aug 11, 1979 · Minor damage