Mooney M20K accident near Fresno, California, June 8, 2006
On June 8, 2006 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Mooney M20K, registered N5699Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fresno, California (Fresno Chandler Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and his inadequate recovery from a bounced landing that resulted in a porpoise.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2006 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno Chandler Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5699Y · registry record · serial 25-0780
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with two fences after encountering a porpoise pilot induced oscillation on landing. The pilot was performing touch-and-go practice takeoff and landings. After completing one landing he continued around the traffic pattern for a second attempt. While on short final approach he had the airplane configured at an airspeed of 70 knots and retarded the throttle control to the idle position. The airplane's tail struck the runway surface and the pilot opted to perform an aborted landing by adding full power. The airplane was configured with full wing flaps, the landing gear in the down and locked position, and the speed brakes extended. The airplane began to porpoise down the runway and the pilot pulled back on the control wheel in an effort to become airborne. The airplane continued off the end of the runway and collided with a fence. It then crossed a road and came to rest after impacting another fence. The pilot reported 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 695 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360LB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCH Fresno CA
- Destination: FCH Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30L, 3,202 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX06CA199.