Mooney M20J N5763H accident near Warsaw, Indiana

Probable cause

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around maneuver. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s complacency flying the airplane and his lack of training on bounced landing recovery procedures.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, while approaching the airport for landing, he entered a left downwind leg for the traffic pattern and then “allowed” the wind to push the airplane too close to the runway, which he overshot on final approach. The airplane was not aligned with the runway when it “hit the ground hard and bounced.” The airplane began to porpoise and bounced several more times as it departed the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted a go-around; however, he never regained control of the airplane. The right wingtip impacted an airport fuel storage facility about 350 feet left of the runway, and the airplane came to rest upright about 50 feet from the initial impact. Significant fuel spilled, but no postimpact fire ensued. The impact resulted in the collapse of the landing gear and substantial damage to the engine mount, firewall, fuselage, and both wings. The pilot reported that he had become complacent after flying this airplane for 6 years, that he was unprepared for the violent bouncing from the hard landing, and that he should have had better training to prepare him for the stress, confusion, and surprise that resulted. The pilot also reported no mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13CA144 for the full record.