No fatalities

17 Oct 2009: MOONEY M20J — Hesperia, CA

Hesperia, CA, United States

On 17 Oct 2009, a MOONEY M20J was involved in an aviation accident near Hesperia, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper glide path and failure to maintain clearance from the airport perimeter fence during the landing approach. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported encountering a downdraft on short final, leading to the main landing gear striking an airport perimeter fence and subsequent collision with the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage.

Incident Overview

During the landing approach, the pilot reported that the airplane encountered a downdraft while on short final to the runway. In response, the pilot applied engine power, but the main landing gear struck the airport perimeter fence, and the airplane subsequently collided with the runway surface.

Aircraft Damage

The accident sequence resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings of the airplane.

Environmental Conditions

Light winds were reported at the time of the accident. According to the Federal Aviation Airport Facilities Directory, a perimeter fence is located at the approach end of the accident runway.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.

Contributing factors

Causes

Descent/approach/glide path — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Response/compensation