Meyers - Diver's Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tecumseh, Michigan 49286
Thursday, July 31, 2008 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the landing approach was uneventful up to the flare and touchdown. He increased engine power just prior to landing because he thought the airplane was slow. He flared higher than normal, and then the airplane "hit hard" on all three landing gear. The airplane began to porpoise, contacting the runway alternately with the nose and main landing gear, but eventually settled onto all three landing gear. The airplane then made an uncommanded left swerve that the pilot was unable to counteract. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane when the airplane nose impacted a non-breakaway steel runway light. The airplane then nosed over in the grass easement off the left side of the runway. The cabin roof, engine firewall, rudder, and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot flaring too high, and his inadvertent pilot-induced oscillation during the landing flare/touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the collapse of the nose landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Tecumseh
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49286
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 420130N
Event Location Longitude 0835621W
Event Location Airport Meyers - Diver's Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3TE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 815
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID ADG
Elevation of weather observation facility 798
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24206
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - Detroit FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N260M
NTSB Number CHI08CA225
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aero Commander
Aircraft Model 200D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 298
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1721.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James William Nagle
Aircraft Owner Street Address 165 North Second Street
Aircraft Owner City Kalamazoo
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49009
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 4N0
Departure City Kalamazoo
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3TE
Destination City Tecumseh
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 2 2008 5:26PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2660
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --