Accident Overview
On October 3, 2011, at approximately 10:08 Japan Standard Time, a Cessna TU206G, registration JA3959, operated by Kyoritsu Air Co., Ltd., sustained nose gear damage during landing at Chofu Airfield. The aircraft, which had departed earlier for an aerial photo mission, swerved off the runway after the landing sequence. No injuries were reported among the two occupants, a pilot and a cameraman, and no fire occurred despite substantial damage to the aircraft.
Flight History
The flight departed Chofu Airfield at 09:20 for an aerial photo mission in the area around Mount Yatsugatake. Unfavorable weather led the pilot to abort the mission and return. The pilot set an approach speed of 75 knots with flaps at 40 degrees, adding 5 knots to account for gusty wind conditions. After passing the runway threshold, the pilot delayed power reduction, resulting in a flatter flare than intended. The main landing gear touched down beyond the intended touchdown point. The aircraft then bounced after the first touchdown. The pilot applied nose-down control input to limit the bounce height and did not add engine power. The second touchdown occurred on the nose gear, precipitating a porpoising motion. During the bouncing, the pilot heard a loud noise from the nose section and opted to continue the landing rather than execute a go-around. The aircraft subsequently veered to the right and came to a halt on the runway.
Aircraft and Occupants
The aircraft, a Cessna TU206G with registration JA3959, was manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Company. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate and a valid Class 1 medical certificate. The cameraman was seated in the right seat during takeoff and landing. Witnesses on the ground, including flight service personnel and another pilot, observed the approach and subsequent bouncing. One witness described the second touchdown as a three-point landing with the tail striking the runway, while another noted the aircraft oscillating in pitch with increasing amplitude.
Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including damage to the fuselage, propeller, and nose landing gear. The nose gear and its attachment structure were compromised during the landing sequence.
Probable Causes
The Japan Transport Safety Board determined that the accident was highly probable due to the aircraft bouncing on the first touchdown and entering a porpoising state upon the second touchdown from the nose gear, which damaged the nose gear and its attachment structure. The first bounce was likely caused by the combined effects of main gear springing from a higher sink rate and residual lift from insufficient deceleration. The second touchdown leading to porpoising was triggered by nose-down control input to lower the severely bounced aircraft. A contributing factor was the absence of added power before the second touchdown and lack of sink rate reduction.