Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

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. The pilot flaring the airplane prematurely, which resulted in a hard landing.