The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 23 June 2022.
Loss of control and collision with terrain
Privately registered
Mooney M20J, C-FLJL
Sundridge/South River Airpark, Ontario
The occurrence
On at 1500 Eastern Daylight Time, a privately registered Mooney M20J aircraft with one pilot and one passenger on board landed on Runway 30 at Sundridge South River Airport in Ontario. During the landing, the aircraft bounced several times, and a go-around was conducted. The aircraft then crashed into the forest, approximately 1300 feet from the departure end of the runway. Both occupants were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Media materials
News release
Investigation report: Loss of control and collision with terrain
Read the news release
Deployment notice
TSB deploys team to aircraft accident near Sundridge airport, Ontario
Richmond Hill, Ontario, 17 September 2021 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators following an accident involving a privately registered Mooney aircraft near the Sundridge / South River Airpark, Ontario. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
Investigation information
A21O0085
Loss of control and collision with terrain
Privately registered
Mooney M20J, C-FLJL
Sundridge/South River Airpark, Ontario
Investigator-in-charge
Sébastien Lachapelle is a regional senior investigator with the Ontario region of the Air Investigations Branch. He joined the TSB in 2020.
Before joining the TSB, Mr. Lachapelle worked for various aircraft manufacturers and maintenance organizations where he occupied positions from aircraft final assembly line inspector to manager, quality assurance and regulatory compliance, including aircraft systems functional test agent and internal auditor. He also worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer.
Starting in 2007, he worked at Transport Canada as a civil aviation safety inspector and as an enforcement investigator. More recently, he worked as a technical team lead, Airworthiness.
Mr. Lachapelle holds an aircraft maintenance engineer licence from Transport Canada.
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Class of investigation
This is a class 4 investigation. These investigations are limited in scope, and while the final reports may contain limited analysis, they do not contain findings or recommendations. Class 4 investigations are generally completed within 220 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
- Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.
For more information, see our Investigation process page.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.