No fatalities

25 Jul 2012: MOONEY M20M — FULLER IRA B III — Heber Springs, AR

Heber Springs, AR, United States

On 25 Jul 2012, a MOONEY M20M operated by FULLER IRA B III was involved in an aviation accident near Heber Springs, AR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper flare, which led to a bounced landing and a subsequent loss of control. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot flared too high, resulting in a hard landing and bounce. The airplane stalled, left wing dropped, veered off runway, and skidded down an embankment, causing substantial damage.

Accident Overview

During the landing flare, the pilot executed the maneuver at an excessive height above the runway surface. This resulted in a hard touchdown and subsequent bounce. Following the bounce, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall, causing the left wing to drop.

Sequence of Events

After the hard landing and bounce, the airplane stalled. The left wing then dropped. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground, veered off the left side of the runway, and skidded down an embankment. The accident sequence concluded with the airplane coming to rest.

Damage

The accident caused substantial damage to the airplane's wing and fuselage structures.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure prior to the accident.

Contributing factors

Landing flare — Not attained/maintainedPilot