# Accident 20020709016199A: Beech 95B55, Mesa, AZ, July 9, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 2002, 19:14 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Falcon Field Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: X0FA
- Location: 33.4500° N, 111.7167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4500&lon=-111.7167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N812D (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 95B55
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020709016199A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON JULY 9, 2002, AT 1914 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 95-B55, N812D, LANDED HARD ON RUNWAY 22L, AND COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AT THE FALCON FIELD AIRPORT (FFZ), MESA, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY FALCON EXECUTIVE AVIATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE PAYSON AIRPORT (PAN), PAYSON, ARIZONA, ABOUT 1845. THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT FFZ. A SPECIAL (SPECI) WEATHER REPORT WAS ISSUED AT 1910; WINDS WERE 150-DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS, GUSTS 28 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 5 SM, WITH BLOWING DUST. WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED REMAINED THE SAME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO TOWER PERSONNEL, THE PILOT CONTACTED FFZ TOWER ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT REQUESTING WEATHER INFORMATION. WEATHER WAS ISSUED, WITH EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE WINDS. TOWER ALSO INFORMED HIM THAT A CROSSWIND EXISTED AND IT WAS "FAVORING RUNWAY 22L." TOWER PERSONNEL ISSUED WIND INFORMATION THREE MORE TIMES AND CLEARED THE AIRPLANE TO LAND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE WAS CAUGHT BY A GUST OF WIND. HE ADDED FULL POWER TO GO AROUND, AND WAS "SLAMMED BACK DOWN ON THE RUNWAY." THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF, AND THE RIGHT WING TIP WAS TORN OFF. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED WITH THE AIRPLANE. RESPONDING POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS VERY WINDY WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. (-23) AT APPROX. 1830, PILOT CALLED FFZ TOWER FROM PAYSON, AZ TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION. REPORTED THAT VISIBILITY WAS GREATER THAN 5 MILES AND THE WINDS WERE 150/10 KTS. DEPARTED PAYSON ENROUTE TO FFZ. AT APPROX. 1845, PIOT RECEIVED REPORT THAT WINDS HAD PICKED UP, BUT STILL VFR. CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 22L FROM FFZ TOWER WITH REPORT WINDS AT 150/18 KTS., GUSTING TO 28 KTS. PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER CROSSING THE THRESHOLD FOR 22L, HE REDUCED POWER. REPORTED THAT AIRCRAFT FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, PILOT APPLIED POWER FOR AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND. PILOT PULLED POWER AND AIRCRAFT BOUNCED TWICE, AT WHICH TIME THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUT BROKE AND ALLOWED AIRCRAFT TO S                                 ETTLE TO THE GROUND, VEERING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT CAME TO A HALT OFF IN THE GRASS. PILOT SECURED ENGINES AND ELECTRICAL, EXITING THE AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX02LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA222), Jul 10, 2002: Beech 95-B55 (N812D), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions, and failure to maintain an appropriate airspeed for the gusts, which resulted in a hard landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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