Cessna 441 accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, March 27, 2012
On March 27, 2012 at about 11:30 am local time, a Cessna 441, registered N1212C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Battle Creek, Michigan (W K Kellogg Airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The maintenance technician did not remove the tow bar prior to the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2012 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Battle Creek, Michigan · W K Kellogg Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 441 · all 441s on the register
- Registration
- N1212C · registry record · serial 441-0346
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the pilot finished the preflight inspection in the hangar, the maintenance technician pulled the airplane out of the hangar and connected the auxiliary power cart to the airplane. Shortly thereafter, the pilot boarded the airplane and proceeded with the normal checklist. The pilot signaled to the maintenance technician to disconnect the power cart. The maintenance technician subsequently signaled that the pilot was clear to start the engines. After departure, the pilot noted a problem with the landing gear, and, after establishing that the tow bar was, most likely, still attached to the nosewheel, he diverted to a nearby airport for a precautionary landing. During the landing, the nose landing gear collapsed and the primary structure in the nose of the airplane was substantially damaged.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,154 hours in all; 13,000 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,499 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 13, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 9,850 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE331-10N-51 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Honeywell TPE331-10N-51 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bil Mar Foods INC DBA
The flight
- Departed from: KMKG Muskegon MI at 10:30 am
- Destination: KBTL Battle Creek MI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23R, 10,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KBTL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA215.