N4785M

On July 18, 2006, about 1940 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A36, N4785M, made a hard landing at the Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed from Bakersfield airport about 1900. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he had requested and had consequently been granted by air traffic control a downwind extension for runway 30R, in order to compensate for the possible wake turbulence produced by the regional jet departing on the same runway. The pilot stated that on short final, the airplane was hit by wake turbulence just prior to touchdown, causing a hard landing and the subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. The airplane rolled off the runway surface and incurred damage to the right main landing gear and the right wing.

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office, Fresno, California, upgraded the original damage report from minor to substantial upon further assessment of the airplane.

According to the air traffic controller who was in contact with the accident airplane, he cleared the pilot to land while the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. After giving the pilot a clearance, he issued a wake turbulence advisory regarding a departing MD80 airplane. The controller additionally advised the pilot that he could extend the downwind leg at his discretion to avoid wake turbulence. He observed the pilot extend the downwind leg and continue onto final approach. As the airplane approached the runway threshold, the nose was in an excessive nose-high pitch attitude and traveling very slowly. The wings started to rock back and forth. The right wing dropped, and the airplane immediately descended toward the runway surface. The airplane landed hard on the right main landing gear, resulting in it separating from the airplane.