What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot approached runway 23 at Doylestown Airport, entering the traffic pattern at 1,400’ MSL. On downwind, he lowered the landing gear, confirmed three green lights, and selected the first notch of flaps. He turned base, then final, rechecked the landing gear lights, adjusted fuel and propeller to full forward, and slowed to 85 knots. During landing, the aircraft unexpectedly ballooned, prompting a go-around. The pilot retracted the gear and began reducing flaps but noticed an abnormality. The plane lost altitude, veered left, struck the ground, and skidded into a parked Cessna 310, damaging both aircraft. The A36 bonanza sustained damage to its propeller, engine compartment, and underside, while the Cessna’s landing gear and right side were impacted. Post-incident inspection revealed the bonanza’s prop lever was pulled back; the pilot speculated he may have done so when exiting.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT APPROACHED RUNWAY 23 AT DOYLESTOWN AIRPORT, ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT 1,400’ MSL. ON DOWNWIND, HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR, CONFIRMED THREE GREEN LIGHTS, AND SELECTED THE FIRST NOTCH OF FLAPS. HE TURNED BASE, THEN FINAL, RECHECKED THE LANDING GEAR LIGHTS, ADJUSTED FUEL AND PROPELLER TO FULL FORWARD, AND SLOWED TO 85 KNOTS. DURING LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT UNEXPECTEDLY BALLOONED, PROMPTING A GO-AROUND. THE PILOT RETRACTED THE GEAR AND BEGAN REDUCING FLAPS BUT NOTICED AN ABNORMALITY. THE PLANE LOST ALTITUDE, VEERED LEFT, STRUCK THE GROUND, AND SKIDDED INTO A PARKED CESSNA 310, DAMAGING BOTH AIRCRAFT. THE A36 BONANZA SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS PROPELLER, ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND UNDERSIDE, WHILE THE CESSNA’S LANDING GEAR AND RIGHT SIDE WERE IMPACTED. POST-INCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE BONANZA’S PROP LEVER WAS PULLED BACK; THE PILOT SPECULATED HE MAY HAVE DONE SO WHEN EXITING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8152R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.