On May 28, 2006, a Beech A23 (registration N8776M) was involved in an aviation accident near Troy, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing by the unknown pilot. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing characterized by three bounces. The first bounce reached 20 feet, followed by a 90-degree turn. The pilot's identity remains undetermined after the owner named an individual who has not been located.
Accident Details
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The identity of the pilot flying the accident airplane was not conclusively determined.
Witness Account
A witness located at the airport reported that the airplane bounced three times during the landing. The witness described, "The first bounce sent the plane 20 feet into the air, the second and third bounces were not nearly as bad. As the aircraft rolled out of the third bounce, it did a 90 degree hair-pin turn to the left." After the landing, the airplane taxied back to the ramp tie-down.
Pilot Identification
The airplane owner reported that he was not piloting the airplane at the time of the accident. The owner provided the name of the accident pilot, but the identified pilot has not been located by authorities. As a result, the party responsible for flying the airplane during the incident remains unknown.