What happened
On December 30, 2022, at approximately 15:10 LT, a Mooney M20R, registration N7SB, was performing a landing on runway 12 at the La Axarquía Leoni Benabu aerodrome in Vélez-Málaga, Spain. The aircraft was operating a private flight from Beja, Portugal, carrying a pilot and three passengers.
During the landing phase, the aircraft touched down with a nose-high attitude at a speed estimated between 61 and 68 KIAS, which was below the manufacturer's recommended 75 KIAS for the aircraft's weight. The touchdown was abrupt, causing the aircraft to bounce and pitch erratically along the runway. Following this, the pilot attempted a go-around maneuver but aborted the attempt. During this process, the aircraft's trajectory diverged from the runway centerline, veering to the left. The aircraft exited the runway, crossed the grass strip and a service road, and eventually struck the aerodrome's perimeter fence. The impact caused significant damage to the tail empennage, propeller blades, and wings.
The investigation
Investigators analyzed airport security footage to reconstruct the aircraft's movement, as the aircraft was not equipped with flight data or voice recorders. The video analysis revealed that the aircraft's touchdown was hard and occurred at a speed lower than required by the pilot's operating manual. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's weight was near its maximum landing weight, which likely increased the required stopping distance.
Technical inspection of the wreckage showed that the landing gear was found in the retracted position, suggesting the pilot may have attempted to retract the gear during the aborted go-around. Additionally, the investigation found that the landing distance available (LDA) for runway 12 was 637 meters, while the required landing distance (LD) for the aircraft's configuration was 731 meters.
Findings
- The aircraft landed at a speed lower than the manufacturer's specifications.
- The touchdown was abrupt, leading to unstable pitching oscillations on the runway.
- The pilot attempted a go-around maneuver but aborted it, leading to a loss of directional control.
- The pilot selected a runway where the available landing distance was insufficient for a safe landing.
- The aircraft's weight was very close to the maximum landing weight, which impacted braking performance.