Aero Commander 200D accident near Tecumseh, Michigan, July 31, 2008
On July 31, 2008 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 200D, registered N260M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Tecumseh, Michigan (Meyers - Diver'S Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot flaring too high, and his inadvertent pilot-induced oscillation during the landing flare/touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the collapse of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2008 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tecumseh, Michigan · Meyers - Diver'S Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 200D · all 200Ds on the register
- Registration
- N260M · registry record · serial 298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the landing approach was uneventful up to the flare and touchdown. He increased engine power just prior to landing because he thought the airplane was slow. He flared higher than normal, and then the airplane "hit hard" on all three landing gear. The airplane began to porpoise, contacting the runway alternately with the nose and main landing gear, but eventually settled onto all three landing gear. The airplane then made an uncommanded left swerve that the pilot was unable to counteract. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane when the airplane nose impacted a non-breakaway steel runway light. The airplane then nosed over in the grass easement off the left side of the runway. The cabin roof, engine firewall, rudder, and vertical stabilizer were 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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action sequence › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,721.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4N0 Kalamazoo MI at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 3TE Tecumseh MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,660 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from ADG, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI08CA225.