Worst landing ever

[Parker_Woodruff]

I'm pretty certain I had power at about 10 to 12 MP as I crossed the numbers I know on the early part of the final I was behind the curve but able to reduce power once the GS was there. 

 

I wouldn't really be focusing on MP as you're on short final.  You're dealing with a situation that requires (sometimes) more abrupt power setting changes due to rapidly changing wind conditions, etc.

 

High and fast leading to long landings isn't really the best solution, either.  You still have to bleed off all that airspeed down low.

 

Try to fly precisely and when you need to land on a short strip, it won't be as daunting.

[Jeff H.]

I read this thread and chuckled a little to myself.  I find myself to be an expert at salvaging bad landings.  Because I have continual practice.  It's an aspirational goal to obsess over a single incident.

 

No commentary on the OP post - just a reminder of how much work I have to do on my own piloting.  :-)

[bonal]

Believe me I am not focusing on MP its part of my peripheral scan which is why I could not be precise 10 or 12 And I have been trying to be more precise with my approaches speeds etc. which is IMHO why I have been having inconsistent landings I am thinking about it too much and not flying the way I was trained. I am the first to admit I've a lot to learn and always will as long as I keep flying. right now all I care about is my aircraft OK and how soon I can get back in the pattern.

[Andy95W]

I read this thread and chuckled a little to myself.  I find myself to be an expert at salvaging bad landings.  Because I have continual practice.  It's an aspirational goal to obsess over a single incident.

 

No commentary on the OP post - just a reminder of how much work I have to do on my own piloting.  :-)

Thinking the same thing.

Wow, lucky guy, he's only had the ONE bad landing. Please post again when you have 6 or 7 "worst" landings!

My worst was runway 22 in LaGuardia with a Fed in the jumpseat. Now THAT'S embarrassing. Classy guy, though. All he had to say was, "I don't think I ever had a decent landing on that runway."

[Hank]

Once I'm on downwind, with Takeoff flaps at 90 mph, I ignore the MP gauge because it doesn't matter. I use the yoke to maintain 90mph, and adjust throttle as required to descend the way I want to (on downwind and base, I look out the window and backup with Altimeter; on final, it's all out the window unless I need to clear an obstruction, in which case it's back to Altimeter and add enough throttle to hold altitude without increasing speed).

We've all had bad landings. My worst one was at night, coming home from Thanksgiving on Saturday, loaded heavy. The nearby tower vectored me around the football TFR. When I landed, the plane began porpoising on the 3000' runway; I had no idea what was going on, but firewalled the throttle after two bounces and prayed to clear the trees that I couldn't see . . . I had to consciously remind myself around the pattern, "fly the pattern, make a normal landing, figure it out later."

The next day or the day after, I decided I had quit flying in the flare, just happy to be home. Guess what I haven't done since? That was Thanksgiving 2007 . . . Checking my logbook, I landed horribly on 11/24 with just under 120 hours total, and about 46 Mooney hours. My next flight was 12/11, for night currency before heading back across the Appalachians for Christmas.

Don't overthink it, just learn from the experience and try to not make the same mistake again.

[carl]

wait, bad landing ? I land like that all the time .

[PTK]

We all can have less than stellar landings occasionally but the important thing is we learn going forward.

I really believe one concept we need to rethink how we teach is this notion of a "flare." We need to get away from this concept of a "flare." An Airbus or a 777 flares. A Mooney "transitions."

Pick an airspeed, trim for it and maintain it with pitch. Manage the descent with power.

Once in ground effect lift will be increased and this is when we need to get away from the "flare" thing and think about "transitioning" instead. Transition to slow flight and try to maintain slow flight while bleeding off airspeed and at the same time transition the eyes down the runway.

Thinking it along these lines will go a long way towards better landings.

[DonMuncy]

How did we ever fly back in the day with just an airspeed indicator, compass, map and E6B?

 The same way we navigated before we got a GPS; adequately, but not near as easy, and  sometimes not as well.

[bonal]

Back from the hangar and a very close inspection looks like I lucked out. Need to put the inspection plates back on then I can get to it and put this one behind me but not forgotten. Thanks again every one for all of it.

[healthfx]

We all can have less than stellar landings occasionally but the important thing is we learn going forward.

I really believe one concept we need to rethink how we teach is this notion of a "flare." We need to get away from this concept of a "flare." An Airbus or a 777 flares. A Mooney "transitions."

Pick an airspeed, trim for it and maintain it with pitch. Manage the descent with power.

Once in ground effect lift will be increased and this is when we need to get away from the "flare" thing and think about "transitioning" instead. Transition to slow flight and try to maintain slow flight while bleeding off airspeed and at the same time transition the eyes down the runway.

Thinking it along these lines will go a long way towards better landings.

 

Great advice here.  I've flown my M20C for just over 500 hours, in all conditions.  Regardless, I always aim to enter the ground effect with full flaps and from 75mph over the numbers. Once I'm in it, I hold slow flight for as long as possible and the let the plane transition.  The yoke is all over the place, flailing for air.  If I'm too fast and short of runway, it's go around time.  If I'm too slow and dropping like a safe, a touch of power helps slow the descent.  If altitude density a factor, a touch of power is a must.  Same at full load.

[Hank]

Over the fence at 75 mph in my C only when loaded heavy; that number should be reduced by 5 mph for every 300 lbs. below gross when you are coming in (don't base landing speed on departure weight).

I never look at airspeed over the numbers, I'm focused outside by then. This will generally set me down on the third stripe at my former 3000' home base. Now I have 5000' to land, and I'm getting sloppy, but still often make the center turnoff with only light braking. Sometimes I mess up and go one stripe past the turnout.

P.S.--I follow the Owners Manual and use "FLAPS--Full or as desired" on final as just another control to reach my intended landing point. Often the trim is set right on Takeoff, but I raise flaps on rollout so I don't know where they end up on any given landing.

[MyNameIsNobody]

We all can have less than stellar landings occasionally but the important thing is we learn going forward.

I really believe one concept we need to rethink how we teach is this notion of a "flare." We need to get away from this concept of a "flare." An Airbus or a 777 flares. A Mooney "transitions."

Pick an airspeed, trim for it and maintain it with pitch. Manage the descent with power.

Once in ground effect lift will be increased and this is when we need to get away from the "flare" thing and think about "transitioning" instead. Transition to slow flight and try to maintain slow flight while bleeding off airspeed and at the same time transition the eyes down the runway.

Thinking it along these lines will go a long way towards better landings.

+1....Hold it off...slow it down...keep nose-wheel off as long as I can after mains contact.

It is a fun game.

Play it.

[Andy95W]

I really believe one concept we need to rethink how we teach is this notion of a "flare." We need to get away from this concept of a "flare." An Airbus or a 777 flares. A Mooney "transitions."

Disagree. The Airbus or Boeing "transitions". You have to fly it onto the runway or you'll probably hit the tail.

My home airport is less than 2000' usable, with the last 800 or so being so rough you really don't want to use it. I have to flare my Mooney at the right airspeed, hopefully with the stall warning honking at me just like a C-172, or else I'm screwed.

But yeah, if I'm flying into anything over 4000' it's nice and smooth to fly it on without much regard to airspeed.

[MyNameIsNobody]

My "interpretation" of the "changing the flare concept" is to stop decent with round out and hold it off as long as I can. The plane finally stalls in ground effect and I get the yoke back....flaring/holding the nose off with back-pressure until it settles in.

My co-owner has basically planted the plane the last three times I was with him. Flying it on and...in my opinion...yoke-yanking late to prevent narrowly prevent nose-wheel from contacting runway.

I don't like the technique...I have literally said "flare" the last three times...

It is a technique though.

[Andy95W]

My "interpretation" of the "changing the flare concept" is to stop decent with round out and hold it off as long as I can. The plane finally stalls in ground effect and I get the yoke back....flaring/holding the nose off with back-pressure until it settles in.

Totally agree. I love landing or doing touch and goes at 4000' + airports with partial flaps and extra speed and letting the speed bleed off in ground effect and getting the best squeaker landings ever. But it can't be done at my home airport. 1800' usable means going off into the grass and a drainage ditch. No choice but to nail the airspeed, flare to a stall, and still have to hope for the best with gusty winds.

I envy all of you who are based at decent airports.

[bonal]

Today I went out and put that terrible landing behind. Did 2 departures climbing to 2000 AGL turning around and returning for the 45 both approaches were on the numbers and both landings were smooth with no floating or bouncing. I would have done another but the smoke from the big fire burning near by was so thick and getting worse so I called it a day. I must admit I was a little nervous and can say it's not good to let too much time pass before you get after it. It Can cause self doubt. Took away a good lesson learned and thought about many of the helpful comments posted here.

[Browncbr1]

Glad you put it behind you. I did a similar thing a while back. I landed the plane a few feet off the ground and came down pretty hard. It shook me, so the very next day I did 3 landings and all were well. I learned my lesson on trying to touch the mains as the wing stops flying. Our money's don't like that! Glad you're back on the horse !

[N33GG]

When you get really confident and everything seems perfect, it will happen again. That's a promise!

[bonal]

Took Snoopy out again today for a short trip KSTS was pretty busy and they held us at 2000 with a right decending turn over the numbers set up was good and so,was the landing. As usual home field winds were all over the place and we had to do a missed as the wind came around as we were just over the fence so around we went for the change. landing not bad for a flippy crosswind.

[bonal]

I thought I would add this as an after thought but it occurred to me that I started having landing issues after I started wearing my prescription bifocals they have a slight magnification and when I stopped wearing them after my crappy drop in my landings have gone back to no issues. Taxi to and from the hangar takes me through some narrow spaces and I never wear them while taxiing cause things don't look right as far as separation to the obstructions. Anyone have that problem just curious

[MyNameIsNobody]

I have bi-focals in my sunglasses. No issues. I am looking through the top (no magnification) except when looking at panel.