# NTSB LAX07LA024: Cessna U206G, N206LL, Willcox, AZ, October 23, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 23, 2006, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Willcox, AZ - Coordinates: 32.2452777777778, -109.894722222222 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2453&lon=-109.8947&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 27, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 64807 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX07LA024 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64807/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA024 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged flare and porpoising during landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - encountered, pilot in command - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The pilot reported that he decided to conduct touch-and-go takeoff and landings. During the second touch-and-go landing, upon touchdown, the airplane began "jumping again, striking the prop and going out of control." In a telephone interview with the investigator-in-charge, a witness described the landing as "flat attitude with power." He reported that the airplane began to oscillate, and after several porpoises, the propeller and nose tire impacted the runway simultaneously. The airplane veered to the right, and the left wing and propeller contacted the runway. The pilot added in his statement that the mechanic had installed a rubber bumper on the nose landing gear strut to prevent it from bottoming out. He also indicated that the mechanic installed the bumper without consulting him. The rubber bumper was installed in June 2006 and the airplane had been flown several times prior to the accident. The airplane sustained structural damage to the firewall. ## Factual narrative On October 23, 2006, at 1015 mountain standard time, a Cessna U206G airplane, N206LL, was substantially damaged during a porpoise and ground loop while landing on runway 3 at the Cochise County Airport, Willcox, Arizona. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured in the event. The pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The local flight began about 5 minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. According to the pilot, he flew the aircraft on the day prior to the accident with the intent to conduct touch-and-go takeoff and landings. He said that during the first landing, the airplane "started to jump all over." The pilot applied full throttle and aborted the landing. He returned the airplane for a full stop landing and came in "as low and slow" as possible. When the airplane touched down it began to "jump around" again and eventually came to a stop. The pilot noticed that the airplane "did not want to steer straight" so he asked the local mechanic to examine the aircraft. The following morning, the day of the accident, the mechanic finished his work on the airplane. According to the statement provided by the mechanic, he corrected the oscillation problem by checking the strut, attachments, wheel and tire, adding air pressure to the strut and tire, and greasing the scissor link. The pilot reported that he received the airplane from the mechanic and decided to conduct more touch-and-go takeoff and landings. During the second touch-and-go landing, upon touchdown, the airplane began "jumping again, striking the prop and going out of control." In a telephone interview with the investigator-in-charge, a witness described the landing as "flat attitude with power." He reported that the airplane began to oscillate, and after several porpoises, the propeller and nose tire impacted the runway simultaneously. The airplane veered to the right, and the left wing and propeller contacted the runway. The pilot added in his statement that the mechanic had installed a rubber bumper on the nose landing gear strut to prevent it from bottoming out. He also indicated that the mechanic installed the bumper without consulting him. The rubber bumper was installed in June 2006 and the airplane had been flown several times prior to the accident. The airplane sustained structural damage to the firewall. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N206LL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N206LL-2009-11-10), registration cancelled 2009-11-10, S/N U20605495, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna U206G - Registry model: [Cessna U206G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206g) (registry code 2073356) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20605495 - Engines: Continental IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Richard V. Frank - Registered owner: Cochise Aviation Brokers LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2006 - Departed: P33, WILLCOX, AZ - Airport: P33, Cochise County, runway 3, 6,095 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 505 total, 445 in this make and model, 417 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 34° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F ## 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 20061023024629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061023024629A), Oct 23, 2006: Cessna U206G, Willcox, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) On 10/22/2006 the pilot [privacy data omitted] departed at approximately 10:30 local in his CE-206, N206LL from P33 in wilcox, AZ. He was going to do a… 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.