On July 27, 2007, a Beech 65-A90 (registration N435A) was involved in an aviation accident near Wallkill, NY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot landed hard after an uneventful flight, causing the right main gear to separate and the left main gear to collapse.
Event Description
During an otherwise uneventful flight, the pilot conducted an overflight of the destination airport. The windsock was observed to show no apparent wind speed or direction. The airplane approached the runway at a fast speed and touched down with excessive force, described as "very hard." The impact caused the right main landing gear to separate from the airplane.
After the initial hard touchdown, the airplane bounced and veered off the right side of the runway. The left main landing gear subsequently collapsed before the airplane came to a stop. The operator reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
Investigation Findings
No preexisting mechanical issues were identified with the aircraft prior to the accident. The investigation did not specify a probable cause for the event.
