20260526007509A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna R182 · Fitchburg, MA · May 26, 2026

Date: May 26, 2026 · 12:35 local
Place: Fitchburg, MA
Airport: Fitchburg Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6287T
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA26LA228
Reported as: Cessna R182
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 700 total220 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N6287TRegistered now · Cessna R182S/N R18201960 · Built 1983 Airframe modelCessna R182 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On 26 may 2026, at 1335 p.m. EDT, the bradley FSDO received notice regarding a Cessna R182 landed on runway 32 and experienced a nose gear collapse. 3 persons on board with no injuries reported. Aircraft damage was unknown at this time. The iic arrived at the scene at Fitchburg airport (kfit) at 10:00 am local time on 28 may 2026. Airport managment provided video footage of aircraft approaching runway 32 for landing. The video revealed hard impact of the aircraft on touchdown. Damage to the aircraft consisted of all three propeller blade tips bent, bottom engine cowling, right and left nose gear doors damaged. Hidden damage inspection revealed firewall damage. The aircraft came to rest to the left of the center line. No other damage was identified at this time. The pilot stated he was doing pattern work and that this was the pilot's 3rd landing that day.

As the FAA filed it

ON 26 MAY 2026, AT 1335 P.M. EDT, THE BRADLEY FSDO RECEIVED NOTICE REGARDING A CESSNA R182 LANDED ON RUNWAY 32 AND EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. 3 PERSONS ON BOARD WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. THE IIC ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AT FITCHBURG AIRPORT (KFIT) AT 10:00 AM LOCAL TIME ON 28 MAY 2026. AIRPORT MANAGMENT PROVIDED VIDEO FOOTAGE OF AIRCRAFT APPROACHING RUNWAY 32 FOR LANDING.THE VIDEO REVEALED HARD IMPACT OF THE AIRCRAFT ON TOUCHDOWN. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT CONSISTED OF ALL THREE PROPELLER BLADE TIPS BENT, BOTTOM ENGINE COWLING, RIGHT AND LEFT NOSE GEAR DOORS DAMAGED. HIDDEN DAMAGE INSPECTION REVEALED FIREWALL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER LINE. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS DOING PATTERN WORK AND THAT THIS WAS THE PILOT'S 3RD LANDING THAT DAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA26LA228Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportFitchburg, MAThe pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.May 26, 2026 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6287T · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20060121001079ALevel Off Touchdown · Bedford, MA(-23) Pilot had hard landing which was reported to the FAA on 1/30/06 when the full extend of damage was discovered. Pilot had hard landing damaging the nose gear, tire, floor of aircraft, and firewall.Jan 21, 2006 · Substantial damage Incident 20051027026209ISimulated Forced Landing/Tkof · Fitchburg, MA(-23) While performing an annual standardization flight check for the civil air patrol, the (PIC) pilot [privacy data omitted] executed a short field obstacle takeoff (to) per the request of the check pilot (cp) [privacy data omitted] approximately 2000 ft…Oct 27, 2005 · Minor damage Incident 19870520034849IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Lancaster, PAUnable to get a safe indication of gear. Nose gear collapsed on rollout. Downlock pin on actuator was broken.May 20, 1987 · Minor damage