Summary
On June 02, 2006, a Piper PA-23-250 (N950RM) was involved in an incident near Mena, AR. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing and his improper recovery procedures for a bounced landing.
While executing a visual approach to runway 35, the 7,600-hour private pilot confirmed that the landing gear was extended. The pilot reported, that immediately after touching down on the 5,000-foot long, by 75-foot wide asphalt runway, he noticed a lower than usual nose-down attitude and applied aft pressure on the yoke, which resulted in the airplane becoming airborne. The pilot added that "upon settling back onto the runway" the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered to the left.
This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW06CA153. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N950RM.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing and his improper recovery procedures for a bounced landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
While executing a visual approach to runway 35, the 7,600-hour private pilot confirmed that the landing gear was extended. The pilot reported, that immediately after touching down on the 5,000-foot long, by 75-foot wide asphalt runway, he noticed a lower than usual nose-down attitude and applied aft pressure on the yoke, which resulted in the airplane becoming airborne. The pilot added that "upon settling back onto the runway" the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered to the left. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who examined the twin-engine airplane, the pilot "made a hard nose wheel landing which caused the airplane to bounce back into the air." The FAA inspector added that, "Upon another hard landing the nose wheel blew out and the left main gear collapsed." The pilot reported having accumulated approximately 300 hours in the same and model aircraft. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported as light and variable.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW06CA153