What happened
On March 9, 2024, a private flight involving a Mooney M20R, registration OY-ZBW, resulted in an accident at Odense/Hans Christian Andersen (EKOD). The pilot, who had not flown since late December 2023, was performing local circuits for the purpose of practice landings.
During the second approach to runway 06, the pilot deployed the flaps to the full position (33°). While flying at an approach speed of 75 knots, the aircraft was approximately 3 to 5 feet above the runway surface when the pilot experienced an unexpected loss of lift over the wings. The pilot was unable to correct the descent in time, causing the aircraft to strike the runway with significant force. This hard landing caused the right main landing gear to collapse. Although the pilot attempted to maintain directional control, the aircraft veered toward the edge of the runway before coming to a complete stop.
The investigation
The investigation by the Danish Accident Investigation Board focused on the sequence of events during the final moments of the approach. The investigation established that the incident occurred under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in daylight. Meteorological data indicated a wind from 090° at approximately 16 to 19 knots. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft sustained damage to the right main landing gear, the propeller, and the right wing, but there were no injuries to the pilot or any occupants.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a sudden loss of lift occurring at a very low altitude (3-5 feet) during the landing flare.
- The pilot was unable to implement timely corrective actions to prevent the aircraft from sinking into the runway.
- The impact of the hard landing was sufficient to cause the structural failure of the right main landing gear.