What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 1, 1998, at 2001 central standard time, a Cessna 310I, N8069M, sustained substantial damage during an undershoot to runway 4 (6,701' x 150' dry/asphalt) at Rock County Airport, near Janesville, Wisconsin. The pilot/owner said that the tow bar was unintentionally left attached to the nosewheel and prevented retraction of the landing gear. He said that during the emergency landing the engine power was reduced to zero and the landing was short of the runway. The instructor pilot reported minor injuries while the two other occupants reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed at 1825. (-23) aircraft departed hangar ramp for t.o. with towbar connected to the nose landing gear. After t.o. during landing gear retraction the towbar contacted the gear door causing failure of a tube assembly in the nose gear system. During the emergency landing the pilot secured the aircraft too soon resulting in touch down short of the runway causing substantial damage to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 1, 1998, AT 2001 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 310I, N8069M, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN UNDERSHOOT TO RUNWAY 4 (6,701' X 150' DRY/ASPHALT) AT ROCK COUNTY AIRPORT, NEAR JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN. THE PILOT/OWNER SAID THAT THE TOW BAR WAS UNINTENTIONALLY LEFT ATTACHED TO THE NOSEWHEEL AND PREVENTED RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR. HE SAID THAT DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED TO ZERO AND THE LANDING WAS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT REPORTED MINOR INJURIES WHILE THE TWO OTHER OCCUPANTS REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED AT 1825. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HANGAR RAMP FOR T.O. WITH TOWBAR CONNECTED TO THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. AFTER T.O. DURING LANDING GEAR RETRACTION THE TOWBAR CONTACTED THE GEAR DOOR CAUSING FAILURE OF A TUBE ASSEMBLY IN THE NOSE GEAR SYSTEM. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING THE PILOT SECURED THE AIRCRAFT TOO SOON RESULTING IN TOUCH DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.