What happened
On 11 January 2014, a Mooney M20J, registration I-IJMW, was performing a private flight from Manston Airport to Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon. The weather conditions were clear with visibility of approximately 30 km and light winds from 040º at 5 to 10 kt.
During the approach to Runway 04, the pilot maintained a stable final approach at 80 KIAS with full flaps selected. As the aircraft was roughly three feet above the runway surface, it ballooned. In response, the pilot applied increased power and a nose-down control input. During this maneuver, the left wing dropped abruptly, causing the left wingtip and the left wheel to strike the runway before the remaining wheels made contact.
Following this uneven touchdown, the aircraft veered to the left and exited the paved surface. As the aircraft traveled across the ground, the nose gear sank into soft earth, leading to propeller contact with the surface. The aircraft then pivoted anti-clockwise, resulting in the collapse of both the nose leg and the right main landing gear. The aircraft eventually came to rest in a nose-down position on its right wing and left main gear. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, engine, left wingtip, right flap, and landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the pilot's control inputs. The pilot reported experiencing light turbulence during the approach but did not believe this influenced the aircraft's control. The investigation also considered the functionality of the stall warning vane located on the left wing, though the pilot could not recall hearing it activate during the event.