Beech B19 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, September 29, 2006
On September 29, 2006 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N1949W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland County Intl. Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to perform a go-around when he noticed the airplane was not on a stabilized final approach. Contributing factors to the accident were the hard landing, the subsequent pilot-induced oscillation (porpoise) which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear, and the taxiway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2006 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland County Intl. Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N1949W · no longer on the register · serial MB-610
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane porpoised during landing, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear. The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was "higher than normal and a little fast" during final approach and to correct he "added full flaps slowing down to the right speed, but noticed a faster descent rate." The pilot reported that he increased engine power to arrest the descent, but during the landing flare the airplane's nose "dropped and hit the runway first and ballooned the aircraft back into the air quite abruptly." The pilot stated that he "immediately applied full power for a go around ... the aircraft turned slightly to the right because of a slight crosswind, and there was not enough altitude to nose down and raise the flaps at the same time." The pilot reported that the airplane's nose "sharply dropped and hit the nose gear on the runway for a second time and broke off, hitting the prop and stopping the engine." The pilot stated that the airplane impacted a taxiway sign before coming to a stop. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had initiated a go-around after noticing the airplane was not on a stabilized final approach.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 331 hours in all; 218 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,648 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APN Alpena MI at 4:15 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PTK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.