On June 29, 1994, a Beech C23 (registration N9313S) was involved in an aviation accident near Easton, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's improper decision to retract the flaps during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose gear collapse. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A training aircraft landed hard after the student pilot prematurely retracted flaps during a simulated short field approach, collapsing the nose gear.
What happened
The student pilot and instructor were conducting flight training focused on a simulated short field approach to runway 22. During the critical landing flare phase, the student pilot incorrectly retracted the aircraft's flaps. This premature configuration change resulted in a hard landing. The impact caused the nose wheel to collapse, bringing the airplane to a stop on the runway surface.
The investigation
Following the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration conducted a postaccident examination of the aircraft. The inspection revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or deficiencies that would have contributed to the incident.
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper decision to retract the flaps during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose gear collapse.