What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Eon-dra event id: 1038246
Charlotte, VT (VT12): privacy data omitted, C182, reported the
Front landing gear sank into the dirt while
Landing on a dirt landing strip causing damage to
The nose gear and the propeller to strike the dirt.
POB: 3, injuries: none, damage: extent unknown.
06/11/2026 1509Z
Pilot statement: "on Thursday, June 11, at approximately 1830 local time, we departed kbtv for VT12. I was pilot in command of privacy data omitted. Weather conditions were VFR, winds were light to calm, and NOTAMS were checked. Additionally, the aircraft had approximately half tanks of fuel and weight and balance had been calculated.
Upon arrival at VT12, I entered a left downwind for runway 01, flew a normal approach, and landed without incident. During the rollout, approximately 1,000 feet down the runway, I was slowing and preparing to clear the runway. At that point, wheel drag increased and the nose of the aircraft began to drop. At approximately 8-12 knots, the nose wheel sank in a soft spot on the runway and the propellor contacted the grass runway and the aircraft came to an abrupt stop.
After stopping, we shut down the aircraft and exited normally. Upon inspection, we observed the nose wheel had sunk approximately 10 inches into the airfield surface. The nose gear appeared to have folded and separated from the aircraft. One blade of the propeller also appeared to have contacted the grass runway."
On site investigation by FAA iic evidenced substantial damage to engine firewall, nose gear separated from aircraft at firewall, lower fuselage structure impacted and pushed back/up into cabin with torn lower fuselage skin and bent frames/stringers. One propeller blade bent mid span.
As the FAA filed it
EON-DRA EVENT ID: 1038246
CHARLOTTE, VT (VT12): ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, C182, REPORTED THE
FRONT LANDING GEAR SANK INTO THE DIRT WHILE
LANDING ON A DIRT LANDING STRIP CAUSING DAMAGE TO
THE NOSE GEAR AND THE PROPELLER TO STRIKE THE DIRT.
POB: 3, INJURIES: NONE, DAMAGE: EXTENT UNKNOWN.
06/11/2026 1509Z
PILOT STATEMENT: "ON THURSDAY, JUNE 11, AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 LOCAL TIME, WE DEPARTED KBTV FOR VT12. I WAS PILOT IN COMMAND OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VFR, WINDS WERE LIGHT TO CALM, AND NOTAMS WERE CHECKED. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY HALF TANKS OF FUEL AND WEIGHT AND BALANCE HAD BEEN CALCULATED.
UPON ARRIVAL AT VT12, I ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 01, FLEW A NORMAL APPROACH, AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING THE ROLLOUT, APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, I WAS SLOWING AND PREPARING TO CLEAR THE RUNWAY. AT THAT POINT, WHEEL DRAG INCREASED AND THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DROP. AT APPROXIMATELY 8-12 KNOTS, THE NOSE WHEEL SANK IN A SOFT SPOT ON THE RUNWAY AND THE PROPELLOR CONTACTED THE GRASS RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP.
AFTER STOPPING, WE SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT AND EXITED NORMALLY. UPON INSPECTION, WE OBSERVED THE NOSE WHEEL HAD SUNK APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES INTO THE AIRFIELD SURFACE. THE NOSE GEAR APPEARED TO HAVE FOLDED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ONE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER ALSO APPEARED TO HAVE CONTACTED THE GRASS RUNWAY."
ON SITE INVESTIGATION BY FAA IIC EVIDENCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ENGINE FIREWALL, NOSE GEAR SEPARATED FROM AIRCRAFT AT FIREWALL, LOWER FUSELAGE STRUCTURE IMPACTED AND PUSHED BACK/UP INTO CABIN WITH TORN LOWER FUSELAGE SKIN AND BENT FRAMES/STRINGERS. ONE PROPELLER BLADE BENT MID SPAN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.