Cessna 210N accident near Charlotte, Michigan, April 11, 2007
On April 11, 2007 at about 8:00 am local time, a Cessna 210N, registered N77RE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlotte, Michigan (Fitch H Beach Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, inadequate landing flare, failure to maintain directional control, and encounter with a pilot-induced oscillation (porpoise. A contributing factor was the wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2007 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Charlotte, Michigan · Fitch H Beach Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210N · all 210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N77RE · registry record · serial 21063241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard landing and subsequent runway excursion. The pilot reported that winds at the intended destination were from 100 degrees, gusting to 15 knots. He setup for landing on runway 2 and noted that the approach was "normal." The pilot stated: "At approximately 1 foot above the runway I experienced a strong gust which caused the aircraft to hit hard onto the runway. At that time the aircraft began to porpoise. I then added power. Apparently the nose wheel sustained damage which caused the aircraft to veer off to the left of the runway." The nose and left main landing gear subsequently collapsed. The pilot noted that there were no malfunctions associated with the aircraft prior to the accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,900 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,988 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2007
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGF Springfield MO at 5:30 am
- Destination: Charlotte MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 am from FPK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.