A demonstration flight turned dangerous at Doylestown Airport last November when a 1993 Beechcraft Bonanza A36 attempting a go-round maneuver collided with a parked aircraft, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The incident, which occurred on Nov. 18 at 12:21 p.m. at Doylestown Airport in Buckingham Township, resulted in serious injuries to the pilot and two passengers
According to the NTSB, the flight was a demonstration for a potential buyer, a pilot who was considering purchasing a share of the airplane.
The pilot reported no mechanical issues during the flight but encountered problems during landing.
The aircraft “ballooned” — abruptly rising 20 feet — prompting the pilot to attempt a “go-round.” This maneuver involves climbing back into the air to try another landing. However, after retracting the landing gear and initiating the climb, the aircraft unexpectedly dropped, according to the report.
Security system footage from the airport shows the plane in a shallow climb with its landing gear retracted, which was consistent with the pilot’s account. The video then captures the aircraft beginning to descend and rock side to side before drifting left off the runway, the report said.
As the aircraft approached the ground, its nose pitched up and it slid into a parked, unoccupied aircraft, the report said.
The crash caused substantial damage to both the fuselage and left wing of the stationary plane.
The Beechcraft Bonanza is owned by Elbow Key LLC of Blue Bell, Montgomery County, according to federal records.
Doylestown Airport has a paved 3,000-foot runway and is owned by the Bucks County Airport Authority.
The Beechcraft Bonanza series remains popular among aviation enthusiasts and continues in production, with several upgraded models introduced since its inception decades ago.
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