What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 24, 2026 at approximately 1140 local time, a Beech 58 aircraft, privacy data omitted, registered to and flown by john e. slegers, a FAA licensed commercial pilot, landed with the landing gear retracted at the Cherry Capital Airport (ktvc), Traverse City, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 with an IFR flight plan. The only occupants in privacy data omitted were the pilot in command (PIC). No injuries were reported.
The investigation revealed that privacy data omitted departed porter county regional airport (kvpz) on an IFR flight plan to ktvc. privacy data omitted Was vectored approximately 15 NM east of ktvc when he was instructed to contact ktvc tower. Tower advised privacy data omitted that he was number 5 for landing on runway (rwy) 28. The pilot stated that he began to configure the aircraft for landing by slowing to approach speed and deploying the flaps. The pilot began looking for aircraft that he reported “were turning in front of him from downwind to final approach” and did not complete the before landing checklist.
The investigation revealed the N96GB landed on rwy 28 at ktvc with flaps fully deployed and the landing gear retracted. Extensive damage to the propellers, flaps, and fuselage were observed. All parts of the aircraft were present. Ktvc airport personnel removed the aircraft from rwy 28. No damage to the airport environment was reported.
The pilot has a valid second-class medical certificate with a limitation to wear glasses. The pilot reports that he was wearing his glasses at the time of the accident. Weather was not a factor for this investigation. Additionally, no adverse mechanical, electrical, navigational, or communication issues were factors.
At this time, it has been determined the pic’s focus on other aircraft during the approach and landing phases distracted the PIC from completing the before landing checklist.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 24, 2026 AT APPROXIMATELY 1140 LOCAL TIME, A BEECH 58 AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO AND FLOWN BY JOHN E. SLEGERS, A FAA LICENSED COMMERCIAL PILOT, LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED AT THE CHERRY CAPITAL AIRPORT (KTVC), TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITH AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE ONLY OCCUPANTS IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC). NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED PORTER COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (KVPZ) ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN TO KTVC. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS VECTORED APPROXIMATELY 15 NM EAST OF KTVC WHEN HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT KTVC TOWER. TOWER ADVISED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT HE WAS NUMBER 5 FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY (RWY) 28. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO CONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING BY SLOWING TO APPROACH SPEED AND DEPLOYING THE FLAPS. THE PILOT BEGAN LOOKING FOR AIRCRAFT THAT HE REPORTED “WERE TURNING IN FRONT OF HIM FROM DOWNWIND TO FINAL APPROACH” AND DID NOT COMPLETE THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST.
THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE N96GB LANDED ON RWY 28 AT KTVC WITH FLAPS FULLY DEPLOYED AND THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLERS, FLAPS, AND FUSELAGE WERE OBSERVED. ALL PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE PRESENT. KTVC AIRPORT PERSONNEL REMOVED THE AIRCRAFT FROM RWY 28. NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT WAS REPORTED.
THE PILOT HAS A VALID SECOND-CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WITH A LIMITATION TO WEAR GLASSES. THE PILOT REPORTS THAT HE WAS WEARING HIS GLASSES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR FOR THIS INVESTIGATION. ADDITIONALLY, NO ADVERSE MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, NAVIGATIONAL, OR COMMUNICATION ISSUES WERE FACTORS.
AT THIS TIME, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THE PIC’S FOCUS ON OTHER AIRCRAFT DURING THE APPROACH AND LANDING PHASES DISTRACTED THE PIC FROM COMPLETING THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.