MARSHFIELD, MA, USA
N252DX
MOONEY M20K
THE PILOT HAD LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON RUNWAY 6. HE STATED, 'I FLARED FOR LANDING, BUT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, POSSIBLY DUE TO WIND SHIFTING.' THE REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 140 DEGREES, AT 12 KNOTS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO GO AROUND, AND APPLIED POWER TO THE ENGINE. HE STATED, 'THE ENGINE NEVER DEVELOPED TAKE-OFF POWER. IT CONTINUED TO FLY CLOSE TO THE GROUND. SINCE THE ENGINE DID NOT STOP, I DID NOT BELIEVE IT HAD FAILED.' THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT TWISTED THE VERNIER THROTTLE, BUT DID NOT REACH FULL THROTTLE. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A MARSH, NEAR THE RUNWAY.
On April 21, 1995, about 1433 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20K, N252DX, piloted by William H. Eilberg, collided with the terrain while landing at Marshfield Municipal Airport, Marshfield, Massachusetts. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 6. He stated, "I flared for landing, but the aircraft bounced, possibly due to the wind shifting." The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 140 degrees at 12 knots. After the airplane bounced, the pilot elected to go around, and he applied power to the engine. According to the pilot's written statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2: ...the engine never developed take-off power. It continued to fly close to the ground. Since the engine did not stop, I did not believe it had failed, but kept trying to get maximum power. The aircraft impacted a marsh, near the runway, in [a] level attitude. According to the FAA Inspector's statement, the throttle on N252DX was a vernier type (twist for fine tuning). The inspector wrote that the pilot stated, "...he was unable to recover from a bounced landing...." The pilot stated to the FAA Inspector, "...he added power by twisting the throttle control knob in and observing the manifold pressure gauge." The FAA Inspector's statement states: At that time Mr. Eilberg lost control of the aircraft, drifted to the left and impacted trees in a swamp area. I then asked Mr. Eilberg why he had not advanced the throttle by pushing the throttle in full. [He] stated when he had purchased the aircraft and was receiving instruction from a flight instructor, he was told not to advance the throttle by pushing it in full. He was told to twist the vernier controlled throttle control in and monitor the manifold pressure gauge, to do other wise would result in engine damage.... The FAA did a cursory examination of the engine and did not find any discrepancies.
the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a bounced landing and impact with the terrain. A factor in this accident was an improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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