Cessna T206H accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, April 28, 2007
On April 28, 2007 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Cessna T206H, registered N1273E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon National Park 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 misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and a porpoise.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2007 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon National Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1273E · no longer on the register · serial T20608678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The nose landing gear sheared off following a bounced landing and porpoise pilot induced oscillation. The pilot stated in a written report that as he passed over the landing threshold, he reduced the power, and began to flare. As he was in the flare, a momentary gust of wind caused the airplane to settle to the runway harder than he anticipated. The airplane bounced back into the air, the nose pitched up, and the left wing dropped. The pilot pushed forward on the yoke and upon the second hard landing, the nose gear sheared off. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 547 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 446 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 86 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2007; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TCC Tucumcari NM at 8:20 pm
- Destination: Grand Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 03, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 11:20 am from GCN
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.