Incident Overview
On March 6, 2022, at approximately 18:06 Japan Standard Time, a privately owned Socata TBM700, registration JA007Z, experienced multiple bounces during landing on Runway A (Runway 27) at Yao Airport in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture. The sole occupant, the captain, was not injured. After the bounces, the pilot initiated a go-around and subsequently landed the aircraft at 18:11. Post-flight inspection revealed damage to the propeller blade tips and scratch marks on the runway surface.
Flight Timeline
The aircraft departed Honda Airport in Saitama Prefecture at 16:37 under visual flight rules (VFR) for Yao Airport, with the captain as the only person on board. At 17:59, the captain contacted Yao Tower and was instructed to land on Runway 27. During final approach, the aircraft encountered turbulence at about 500 ft altitude, which persisted until just before touchdown. The captain maintained an indicated airspeed of 85 kt and used the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) for descent angle guidance (4.5°).
At about 18:06, the captain reduced engine thrust to idle and flared to reduce descent rate. However, the descent rate was not sufficiently reduced, and the aircraft touched down with greater than normal impact, causing a bounce. The captain continued with idle thrust, judging the attitude stable. Over the next 2–3 seconds, the aircraft bounced two more times. After the third bounce, the attitude became unstable, and the captain decided to execute a go-around near Taxiway A2. The aircraft informed Yao Tower of the go-around at 18:06:58, then re-approached and landed at 18:11.
Meteorological Conditions
At 18:00, the aerodrome routine meteorological report at Yao Airport recorded wind from 310° at 10 kt, visibility 10 km or more, few cumulus clouds at 2,500 ft, scattered stratocumulus at 6,000 ft, temperature 7°C, dew point -4°C, and QNH 1,016 hPa. When the landing clearance was given, Yao Tower reported wind from 320° at 11 kt; at the time of the incident (about two minutes later), the wind was 320° at 8 kt. Meteorological observation instruments on the runway recorded wind direction and velocity every six seconds between 18:05 and 18:07.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft was a Socata TBM700 (serial number 313, manufactured November 22, 2004) equipped with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-64 engine. Total airframe and engine time was 2,180 hours 06 minutes. At the time of the incident, estimated weight was 5,759 lb and center of gravity was 23.6% MAC, both within allowable limits.
The captain, aged 51, held an airline transport pilot certificate and a single-engine rating. Total flight time was 10,496 hours 08 minutes, with 11 hours 44 minutes on type. He completed training for the Socata TBM700 from November 1, 2021, to February 11, 2022.
Runway Scratch Marks and Damage
After the incident, an inspection of the runway revealed scratch marks in two sections. On the east side, four scratches were found at the runway centerline, spaced about 40 cm apart, with widths of 3–21 mm, lengths of 50–170 mm, and maximum depth about 3 mm. On the west side, five scratches were located about 200 m west of the east marks and 2 m south of the centerline, also spaced about 40 cm apart, with widths of 29–52 mm, lengths of 220–270 mm, and maximum depth about 4 mm. The west-side scratches were larger.
The aircraft sustained slight damage: four propeller blades had tip damage (about 3 cm), and the nose gear had wheel misalignment (tilted to left wing) and cracks in the landing light front cover. No other damage was reported.