Mooney M20R accident near Chattanooga, Tennessee, July 26, 2023
On July 26, 2023 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1999 Mooney M20R, registered N62GH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Chattanooga, Tennessee (Lovell Fld airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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 the cabin door opening.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2023 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chattanooga, Tennessee · Lovell Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20R, built 1999 · all M20Rs on the register
- Registration
- N62GH · registry record · serial 29-0190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and the flight instructor were climbing out after departing from the airport when the cabin door suddenly opened. The flight instructor tried to close the door but could not get it closed properly. The pilot subsequently returned to the airport to land. During the landing approach, the pilot was distracted, flew too low, and the airplane contacted several approach lights short of the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,141 hours in all; 591 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 7,938 as pilot in command; 5,858 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 12, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,368 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 7,400 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from CHA
Weather report (METAR): KCHA 261353Z 00000KT 10SM SCT120 27/22 A3018 RMK AO2 SLPNO T02720218 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 5, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.