Probable cause
The pilot's delayed decision to perform a go-around which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
According to the pilot, he was landing to the west during the late afternoon. As he flared the airplane, he lost his visual reference with the ground due to the sun's glare, momentarily blinding him. He initiated a go-around; however, the airplane landed hard and bounced airborne three times, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and nose section. He reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. According to data from the United States Naval Observatory, official sunset was at 1919. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, about the time of the accident, the sun would have been about 275 degrees magnetic and about 2 degrees above the horizon.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA226 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 2, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Nearest airport
- Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airpo (BDR)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Dusk
Cessna U206C
- N-number
- N100HA
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.