On April 21, 1995, a Mooney M20K (registration N252DX) operated by William H. Eilberg was involved in an aviation accident near Marshfield, MA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a bounced landing and impact with the terrain. A factor in this accident was an improper recovery from a bounced landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot performed a go-around after a bounced landing but did not fully advance the throttle, leading to the airplane impacting a marsh near the runway.
Incident Details
A pilot landed an airplane on Runway 6. During the landing flare, the aircraft bounced, possibly due to a wind shift. The reported wind at the time of the event was from 140 degrees at 12 knots. The pilot decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around by applying power to the engine.
Pilot Actions
The pilot stated that the engine never developed takeoff power and the airplane continued to fly close to the ground. Because the engine did not stop running, the pilot did not believe it had failed. The airplane subsequently impacted in a marsh near the runway.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident examination of the engine revealed no discrepancies. However, the investigation determined that the pilot had twisted the vernier throttle but did not reach full throttle. The incomplete throttle application prevented the engine from achieving takeoff power, resulting in insufficient thrust to climb away from the ground.