N2825X

On June 27, 2003, about 1230 mountain daylight time, a Cessna P206, N2825X, sustained substantial damage subsequent to a bounced landing on runway 25 at the Gooding Municipal Airport, Gooding, Idaho. The airplane is owned by the pilot, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91. The private pilot and three passengers aboard the airplane were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight originated from Gooding, 15 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot's planned destination was Mount Vernon, Washington.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that he inadvertently took off with a tow bar still attached to the airplane's nose gear. The pilot subsequently returned to the airport for landing. The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane touched down and bounced back into the air. When it touched down a second time the nose gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.