# NTSB LAX07CA139: Cessna T206H, N1273E, Grand Canyon, AZ, April 28, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 28, 2007, 16:35 local (23:35 UTC) - Place: Grand Canyon, AZ - Coordinates: 35.951667, -112.146667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9517&lon=-112.1467&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, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 65718 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX07CA139 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65718/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07CA139 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and a porpoise. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - gusts - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - not corrected, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis The nose landing gear sheared off following a bounced landing and porpoise pilot induced oscillation. The pilot stated in a written report that as he passed over the landing threshold, he reduced the power, and began to flare. As he was in the flare, a momentary gust of wind caused the airplane to settle to the runway harder than he anticipated. The airplane bounced back into the air, the nose pitched up, and the left wing dropped. The pilot pushed forward on the yoke and upon the second hard landing, the nose gear sheared off. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. ## Factual narrative On April 28, 2007, at 1635 mountain standard time, the nose landing gear of a Cessna T206H, N1273E, sheared off following a bounced landing at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Juliet-Echo LLC was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Tucumcari, New Mexico, about 1420, with a planned destination of Grand Canyon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the primary wreckage were 35 degrees 57.1 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 8.8 minutes west longitude. The pilot stated in a written report that, after being cleared to land, he slowed the airplane, and began final descent to land. As he passed over the landing threshold, he reduced the power, and began to flare. As he was in the flare and the airplane was in a stall for landing, a momentary gust of wind caused the airplane to settle to the runway harder than he anticipated. The airplane bounced back into the air, the nose pitched up, and the left wing dropped. The pilot pushed forward on the yoke, and upon the second hard landing, the nose gear sheared off. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: N1273E (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna T206H - Category: Airplane - Serial number: T20608678 - Airframe hours: 86 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Juliet-Echo, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2007, 86 hours before - Departed: TCC, TUCUMCARI, NM - Destination: Grand Canyon, AZ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GCN, Grand Canyon National Park, runway 03, 9,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 547 total, 30 in this make and model, 446 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: GCN ## 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 20070428006599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070428006599A), Apr 28, 2007: Cessna T206H, Grand Canyon, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot reported upon landing at gcn on 04-28-2007, wind gust caused aircraft to be picked up and quickly dropped hard on runway. Aircraft bounced then… 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.