# Accident 20260108001259A: Piper PA-24-250, Bay City, MI, January 8, 2026 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 8, 2026, 14:41 local time - Place: Bay City, MI - Airport: James Clements Municipal - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 43.5492° N, 83.8952° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5492&lon=-83.8952&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7085P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7085P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 3,665 total, 12 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA089) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260108001259A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON JANUARY 8, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 14:41 EST THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) WAS FLYING A PIPER COMANCHE, REGISTRATION NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR SKILL TRAINING AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS. SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY, THE PIC EMBARKED ON A BRIEF FLIGHT NEAR THE HOME BASE AT JAMES CLEMENTS AIRPORT IN BAY CITY, MICHIGAN. THE WEATHER WAS IDEAL, WITH LIGHT WINDS AROUND 5 KNOTS ALIGNED WITH RUNWAY 18. THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO PRACTICE TRAFFIC PATTERN APPROACHES AND LANDINGS, GIVEN THE PIC'S ROLE AS A DESIGNATED PILOT EXAMINER (DPE) AND OBSERVATIONS OF COMMON WEAKNESSES IN THESE AREAS AMONG APPLICANTS. WITH WINDS COMING ALMOST DIRECTLY FROM THE SOUTH, THE PIC OPTED FOR PATTERNS AND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 18. THE PIC CONDUCTED FULL STOP LANDINGS AND TAXI-BACKS, AS TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ARE NOT ADVOCATED FOR LESS EXPERIENCED PILOTS OR STUDENTS. THE FIRST TWO PATTERNS AND LANDINGS WERE NEARLY PERFECT, DESPITE THE TIME ELAPSED SINCE THE LAST FLIGHTS. ON THIS DAY, THE CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL FOR PRACTICE ON RUNWAY 18. THE PIC AIMED TO LAND 30 TO 50 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, SELECTING THE 30-FOOT TARGET DUE TO THE LIGHT WINDS. FAMILIARITY WITH JAMES CLEMENTS AIRPORT (3CM) AND RUNWAY 18 ALLOWED THE PIC TO DECELERATE THE AIRCRAFT EFFECTIVELY FOR A TURN-OFF JUST PAST THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 05/23 AND 18/36. HOWEVER, THE THIRD LANDING DID NOT PROCEED AS SMOOTHLY. THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL, WITH AIR SPEED AND POWER SETTINGS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS LANDINGS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT, AND THE PIC STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. THE PIC COULD NOT DETERMINE WITH ANY CERTAINTY IF THE SINGLE GREEN LANDING GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATOR IN THE COCKPIT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE AIRSPEED AND CONTROLS FELT COMPARABLE TO EARLIER LANDINGS, BUT SIGNIFICANT LEFT RUDDER PRESSURE WAS REQUIRED. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FACE NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY ON THE WEST SIDE, RESULTING IN THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSING AND DAMAGING THE THREE-BLADE PROPELLER. APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS LATER, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOISTED UP, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LANDING GEAR HAD NOT DESCENDED, AND THE PIC NOTICED THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED. UNDER BATTERY POWER, THE PIC RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND THE LANDING GEAR LOWERED AND LOCKED, WITH THE GREEN DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN MOVED TO THE LOCAL HANGAR AT 3CM.THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, EXTENDING FROM THE NOSE GEAR BAY TO JUST BEHIND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. ALL LOWER ANTENNAS AND BEACON LIGHTS WERE MISSING, AND THE FUSELAGE SKIN WAS WORN THROUGH, AFFECTING THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE NOSE AND MAIN LANDING GEAR. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE, ENGINE MOUNTS, AND FIREWALL REVEALED NO DAMAGE. THE PROPELLER EXHIBITED STRIKE MARKS ON ALL THREE BLADES. CONTROL SURFACE CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. A REVIEW OF THE AIRFRAME, PROPELLER, AND ENGINE LOGBOOKS INDICATED THAT MAINTENANCE WAS CURRENT, AND ALL APPLICABLE AND RECURRING AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES (ADS) HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN26LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA089), Jan 8, 2026: Piper PA24 (N7085P), Bay City, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure the landing gear was down and locked before landing. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.