| Crash location | 41.403611°N, 95.048611°W |
| Nearest city | Atlantic, IA
41.403601°N, 95.013878°W 1.8 miles away |
| Tail number | N2540T |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 30 Aug 2007 |
| Aircraft type | Navion NAVION H |
| Additional details: | None |
The airplane was substantially damaged when the left main landing gear collapsed during landing. The pilot stated the aircraft cabin door came unlatched shortly after takeoff. The pilot chose to return to the departure airport for landing on Runway 12 (3,133 feet by 75 feet, asphalt). He reported that the aircraft touched down on the left main gear, with a "slight drift." The left main gear subsequently collapsed. The aircraft came to rest approximately 1,000 feet down the runway and about 30 feet off the left side of the pavement. The pilot noted a "series of distractions" prevented him from concentrating on a safe landing.
The pilot's improper flare and touchdown during landing resulting in overload failure of the left main landing gear. A contributing factor was the pilot's distraction due to the unlatched cabin door.