What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 27, 2012, at 0723 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Cessna conquest, CE-441 airplane, N1212C, was damaged while landing at Battle Creek, w.k. Kellogg airport (btl), Battle Creek, Michigan. The airplane was registered to and operated by bil mar foods inc. dba, under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 with a flight plan to aurora municipal airport (arr), aurora, Illinois. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight with one passenger and a co-pilot on board. The flight departed muskegon county airport (mkg), muskegon, Michigan, about 0723 eastern daylight time (EDT) and subsequently diverted to btl. According to the mgk ATCT front line manager, who was also the tower controller, the pilot took off with the tow bar still attached to the nose wheel. Upon gear retraction the nose wheel jammed and the pilot had an indication of unsafe gear in the cockpit. The pilot confirmed with his ground crew that the tow bar was missing then he did a fly by of the tower at mkg. The tower advised him that the nose gear appeared partially up and that something was hanging from the nose of the aircraft. The pilot elected to divert to btl as this airport has repair facilities. The aircraft landed at 0750 eastern daylight time at btl and the nose wheel collapsed causing substantial aircraft damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 27, 2012, AT 0723 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A CESSNA CONQUEST, CE-441 AIRPLANE, N1212C, WAS DAMAGED WHILE LANDING AT BATTLE CREEK, W.K. KELLOGG AIRPORT (BTL), BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY BIL MAR FOODS INC. DBA, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 WITH A FLIGHT PLAN TO AURORA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (ARR), AURORA, ILLINOIS. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE BUSINESS FLIGHT WITH ONE PASSENGER AND A CO-PILOT ON BOARD. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MUSKEGON COUNTY AIRPORT (MKG), MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ABOUT 0723 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT) AND SUBSEQUENTLY DIVERTED TO BTL. ACCORDING TO THE MGK ATCT FRONT LINE MANAGER, WHO WAS ALSO THE TOWER CONTROLLER, THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH THE TOW BAR STILL ATTACHED TO THE NOSE WHEEL. UPON GEAR RETRACTION THE NOSE WHEEL JAMMED AND THE PILOT HAD AN INDICATION OF UNSAFE GEAR IN THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT CONFIRMED WITH HIS GROUND CREW THAT THE TOW BAR WAS MISSING THEN HE DID A FLY BY OF THE TOWER AT MKG. THE TOWER ADVISED HIM THAT THE NOSE GEAR APPEARED PARTIALLY UP AND THAT SOMETHING WAS HANGING FROM THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO BTL AS THIS AIRPORT HAS REPAIR FACILITIES. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT 0750 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME AT BTL AND THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.