This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
I was flying a Mooney M-20 for the first time on a training flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1, with a CFII on board. The flight to ZZZ1 was uneventful.
When on short final, I saw that I was a little low and a little slow and needed to get beyond the displaced threshold, so power was added. I got past the threshold, but also ended up being left of center.
I flared too high and when the plane touched down it bounced.
In not wanting to risk a hard bounce again, I applied full power to execute a go-around. The P-factor yawed the plane to the left and pushed the plane even closer to the runway edge lights, while still trying to fly. The plane ended up being in line with the runway edge lights, and two or three were struck.
At some point during this sequence of events, after the bounce and after the application of full power, my CFII took control of the airplane.
After the collisions, the plane was landed under control and on the runway. The plane never left the asphalt part of the runway.
We requested priority handling and we taxied to the transient parking and shut down without issue.
Within the hour, after all of the appropriate notifications were made, my CFII and I did an analytical debrief of what transpired.
As this was my first time flying this high-performance plane, we discussed how much more the P-factor can affect the airplane. We talked about how the go-around decision was a good decision, but being left of center, then the input of full power and not being used to the new P-factor, all lined up to push us towards the lights.
We also talked about power settings and had we not flared too high, and bounced, being left of center probably wouldn’t have been an issue.
It was a good debrief and I learned a lot.
It also further reinforced making sure the pilot and plane are set up for success on landing.
Training with this CFII will continue, as will the adage of having a pilot’s license is a license to learn.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2048430
Part of your problem is the cramming in full power. The plane is flying or on the verge. A manageable power application yields better results than the spastic applications normally taught.
Amen. Many pilots need to be taught to fly by like a guy that was teaching me “smooth”. He was a retired B737 Captain, had several type ratings. And he taught me to listen to the plane, and to apply power smoothly and reduce it smoothly. Ease into the rudder peddles, etc.
He said “You know you have it, when people are in your plane and you fly cross country and they don’t even wake up when you land and shut down.”
Another case wherein the CFI waited way too long to grab the wheel and take over. Could have been fatal for both. What are they waiting for? Letting students of any subject fail causes more harm than good. CFIs are supposed to mentor, not let accidents happen.
Regards/J