Monroe, MI, USA
N3545R
Beech A-23-23
The airplane was damaged when the nose landing gear collapsed during landing. The pilot reported that he was practicing takeoffs and landings when, on the fourth landing, "... [the pilot] must have flared [too] soon causing the airplane to bounce at touchdown." The airplane then went off the right side of the runway where, "the nosewheel dug into the terrain causing it to collapse and the airplane to go nose down."
On July 4, 2002, at 0930 eastern daylight time, a Beech A-23-23, N3545R, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the nose landing gear collapsed during landing on runway 03 (5,000 feet by 100 feet, asphalt), at the Custer Airport, Monroe, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The local flight originated at an undetermined time. The pilot reported that he was practicing takeoffs and landings when, on the fourth landing, "... [the pilot] must have flared [too] soon causing the airplane to bounce at touchdown." The airplane then went off the right side of the runway where, "the nosewheel dug into the terrain causing it to collapse and the airplane to go nose down."
The pilot misjudging the flare, and his loss of directional control during landing. The soft terrain was a factor.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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