On May 6, 2008, a Beech 65-A90 operated by Titusville Drop Zone was involved in an aviation accident near Titusville, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During landing on an asphalt runway, a Beech 65-A90 encountered a high sink rate. Engine power application was insufficient to prevent a hard landing, resulting in main landing gear separation and a strike on the vertical stabilizer. The pilot executed a go-around and landed safely on a grass runway.
Accident Details
A Beech 65-A90 was landing on a 3,000-foot-long, 70-foot-wide asphalt runway when the airplane encountered a high sink rate. The pilot applied engine power, but the engines did not respond quickly enough to prevent a hard landing. During the hard landing, the main landing gear separated and the left landing gear struck the vertical stabilizer. The pilot subsequently performed a go-around and landed on a grass runway without further incident.
Pilot Information
The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions during the flight. He reported 5,000 hours of total flight experience, which included 500 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.