CHI06LA149

The airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The identity of the pilot flying the accident airplane was not conclusively determined. A witness who was located at the airport reported that the airplane bounced three times during the landing. He reported, "The first bounce sent the plane 20 feet into the air, the second and third bounces were not nearly as bad. As the aircraft rolled out of the third bounce, it did a 90 degree hair-pin turn to the left." The airplane taxied back to the ramp tie-down. The airplane owner reported that he was not piloting the airplane at the time accident. The airplane owner reported the name of the accident pilot, but the identified pilot has not been located by authorities.

On May 28, 2006, at 1740 eastern daylight time, a Beech A23, N8776M, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 27 (3,550 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) at the Oakland/Troy Airport (VLL), Troy, Michigan. There were no reported injuries. The pilot flying the accident airplane was not identified. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from VLL.

A witness who was located at the airport reported that he observed the airplane taxiing for takeoff. He reported the engine began to sputter as the airplane took off, but attained full power during the climb. The airplane turned crosswind at 200 feet above ground level (agl), and reached pattern altitude on the downwind leg. The witness reported that the airplane bounced three times during the landing. He reported, "The first bounce sent the plane 20 feet into the air, the second and third bounces were not nearly as bad. As the aircraft rolled out of the third bounce, it did a 90 degree hair-pin turn to the left." The airplane taxied back to the ramp tie-down. The witness reported that the pilot did not make any radio calls over the Unicom frequency at any time during the flight.

The owner of the airplane reported that he was not piloting the airplane at the time accident. He reported that he had recently purchased the airplane, and that he had hired a certified flight instructor (CFI) to fly the airplane to VLL. The owner said that he flew the airplane to VLL with the CFI, and with the CFI's son, who was a recently certificated private pilot. The owner reported that the trip to VLL was uneventful and they landed at VLL on May 27, 2006.

The owner reported that he arranged to meet with the CFI the next day to receive some flight instruction, and had left the keys to the airplane with the CFI. The owner reported that when he returned the next day, he observed the CFI's son getting off the airplane after he had just taxied the airplane back to the T-hangar. The owner reported that the CFI told him that the airplane had "bounced" and had "veered off" while landing. The owner reported that while he was inspecting the damage to the airplane, the CFI and his son departed the airport in a rental car. The owner reported that he has been unable to locate the CFI and his son.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and determined the airplane sustained substantial damage. The FAA attempted to locate the CFI and his son, but so far has been unsuccessful.