Cessna CE-T206-H | N460DC
July 23rd, 2024 | Kneeland, California
Accident Location
- City: Kneeland
- State: California
- Latitude: 40.723
- Longitude: -123.928
- Airport ID: O19
Aircraft Info
- N Number: N460DC
- Make: Cessna
- Model: CE-T206-H
- Aircraft Category: Aircraft Single Engine Land
- Amateur Built: No
Pilot Info
- PIC Name: Kulp, Gabriel Joshua
- Gender: Male
- Pilot Age: 49
- Pilot Hours:
- Flight School: No
- Instructional Flight: No
- Pilot Certification: Commercial Pilot
- IFR Rating: Yes
- Pilot Error: Yes
- Pilot Medical: 2nd Class Medical
- Pilot Incapacitation: No
Analysis
- Date: July 23rd, 2024
- Time: 11:05 AM Local Time
- Day / Night: Day
- VMC / IMC: VMC
- Phase Of Flight: Landing
- Total People Onboard: 2
- PIC Fatality: 1
- PAX Fatalities: 1
- Ground Fatalities: 0
- Total Fatalities: 2
- NTSB No: WPR24FA252
- NTSB Travel: Unknown
- AQP Classification: 9) NON-STABILIZED APPCH., C-FIT
Probable Cause
DTSB: The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the pilot flew a non stabilized approach to the short runway and attempted landing with excessive energy, whereupon he bounced several times, forcing the nosewheel down before electing to go around. In the act of the very late go around, the pilot failed to retract flaps or retrim, and allowed the nose of the plane to come up sufficient to where the aircraft was flying in a low energy, uncoordinated condition. The cause of this accident lies on both the non stabilized approach, as well as failure to hold the nose up after main wheel touchdown, as well as the following messed up go around that was not flown correctly. The aircraft impacted rising terrain about 700 feet past the end of the departure runway in level flight, but in rising terrain.
NTSB: NONE
Recommendation
DTSB: The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft rehearse and condition themselves to be ready for non stabilized approaches, be able to recognize such, and be able to perform standard go around from a worst cast scenario of low speed, full flaps, and fully trimmed for landing. The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft be aware of short runway operations and plan to land on speed with ever increasing pitch after mainwheel touchdown. The act of forcing the nose down, or even just relaxing back pressure causes the nose wheel to hit hard and then sets up a PIO oscillation that becomes more pronounced with each cycle. A very late go around on a short runway causes pilot panic and subconscious pull on the control yoke, whereby the wing exceeds the critical angle of attack, and the wing ceases to fly.
NTSB: NONE
DISCLAIMER: All data and Probable Cause listings are “Probable” only. They are based on opinion and educated speculation, and are for educational purposes only. They may contain incorrect information and are subject to change as new information becomes available.