Summary
On October 06, 2018, a Zenair CH 2000 (N642AM) was involved in an incident near Topeka, KS. All 1 person 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, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and a subsequent runway excursion.
The pilot reported that following his first solo flight in the recently acquired airplane, during landing he crossed the runway threshold about 70 knots airspeed and with full flaps, he placed the throttle in the idle position. During the flare, the airplane sank abruptly and touched down hard. The airplane bounced and exited the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go-around, but the airplane descended and impacted the grass safety area on the left side of the runway. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to right fuselage formers.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA19CA006. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N642AM.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and a subsequent runway excursion.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that following his first solo flight in the recently acquired airplane, during landing he crossed the runway threshold about 70 knots airspeed and with full flaps, he placed the throttle in the idle position. During the flare, the airplane sank abruptly and touched down hard. The airplane bounced and exited the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go-around, but the airplane descended and impacted the grass safety area on the left side of the runway. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to right fuselage formers.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA19CA006