- Date
- October 17, 2009, 08:18 local (15:18 UTC)
- Place
- Hesperia, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1084ZMooney M20J
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091017019369A
- Case key
- 74914
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper glide path and failure to maintain clearance from the airport perimeter fence during the landing approach.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that on short final to the runway the airplane encountered a downdraft. He applied engine power, but the main landing gear struck the airport perimeter fence and the airplane collided with the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings during the accident sequence. The pilot reported light and variable winds at the time of the accident. The Federal Aviation Airport Facilities Directory states that a perimeter fence is located at the approach end of the accident runway. The pilot reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that on short final to the runway the airplane encountered a downdraft. He applied engine power, but the main landing gear struck the airport perimeter fence and the airplane collided with the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings during the accident sequence. Light winds existed at the time of the accident. The Federal Aviation Airport Facilities Directory states that a perimeter fence is located at the approach end of the accident runway. The pilot reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1084Z
- Reported as
- Mooney M20J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1132
- Airframe hours
- 2,335
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2009 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
- Destination
- L26 · Hesperia, CA
- Airport
- L26 · Hesperia, runway 21, 3,910 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 2,338 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- VCV, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 557 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.