# NTSB DEN02LA026: Beech B36TC, N6444C, Englewood, CO, February 18, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 18, 2002, 11:48 local (18:48 UTC) - Place: Englewood, CO - Coordinates: 39.639801, -104.989562 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6398&lon=-104.9896&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 25, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 54222 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN02LA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54222/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54222 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA026 ## Probable cause The pilot flaring the airplane prematurely, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - premature, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot said the landing approach was "a little fast, a little high," so he retarded the throttle and flared "too high." The airplane struck the runway "hard" with its nose landing gear, bounced, and touched down again. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt off the left side of the runway. ## Factual narrative On February 18, 2002, at 1148 mountain standard time, a Beech B36TC, N6444C, operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when the nose gear collapsed during a hard landing at Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Marfa, Texas, approximately 0930 central standard time. The following is based on a telephone conversation with the pilot and the accident report he submitted. The landing approach to runway 35L was "a little fast, a little high," so he retarded the throttle and flared "too high." The airplane struck the runway "hard" with its nose landing gear. The airplane bounced, touched down again, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a halt off the left side of the runway. Postaccident examination disclosed substantial damage to the keel of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6444C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6444C), registered now, S/N EA-275, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech B36TC - Registry model: [Beech B36TC](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b36tc) (registry code 1151609) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: EA-275 - Airframe hours: 2462 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-UB 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Edward H. Simpson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 13, 2001, 246 hours before - Departed: MRF, Marfa, TX - Destination: APA, Englewood, CO - Airport: APA, Centennial, runway 35L, 7,004 × 77 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 15, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 1,102 total, 852 in this make and model, 982 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 22,000 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 29.62 inHg - Observed at: APA ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020218005539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020218005539A), Feb 18, 2002: Beech B36TC, Denver, CO, No damage. (-23)The aircraft operated by the pilot was substantially damaged when the nose gear collapsed on landing at kapa airport. The pilot said his landing approach… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54222. 2.5 MB in all. - Supplement S (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40147171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387324&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.