Cessna 441 N1212C

Summary

On 27 March 2012 at about 11:30 local time, a Cessna 441 registered N1212C, operated by BIL MAR Foods Inc DBA, was involved in an accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 March 2012 at 11:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Battle Creek, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

W K Kellogg Airport (KBTL)

Coordinates

42.3064, -85.2500

Aircraft

Cessna 441

Registration

N1212C

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

BIL MAR Foods Inc DBA

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Muskegon → Battle Creek

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA215

Nobody was injured.

The maintenance technician did not remove the tow bar prior to the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.