Amateur-built SQ-2000 XL accident near Dayton, Tennessee, July 10, 2004
On July 10, 2004 at about 3:35 pm local time, a amateur-built SQ-2000 XL, registered N10736, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayton, Tennessee (Mark Anton Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and the subsequent collapse of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2004 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Tennessee · Mark Anton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SQ-2000 XL
- Registration
- N10736 · registry record · serial GC-0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern. The pilot stated that he reduced engine power and extended the landing gear on the base leg and heard a "pop" noise. He stated that he initially though that the noise might have been a backfire of the engine when he reduced power. He stated that he observed the gear pump indication of cycle complete, a three-green indication of gear extended and locked, and visually observed the left landing gear extended, so he decided to proceed with the approach. He stated that on the landing roll approximately 200-300 yards after touchdown, the left wing began to descend, and he raised the left wing to maintain level, but it slowly made contact with the runway. He stated that he did not apply power for a go-around. He stated directional control of the airplane was lost and the airplane departed the runway surface to the left, and ground looped. The pilot stated that the right main landing gear then collided with a boulder, and the right main and nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded in the grass on its belly 400-500 feet and collided with a fence. The post-accident examination of the airplane wreckage revealed that the nose and the main landing gear were collapsed and bent and the rod. Further examination revealed that the end bearing head of the hydraulic actuator of the left main landing gear was found broken at the upper neck. The three-bladed wooden propeller was sheared on all blades. The engine appeared to be intact with no visible external damage and the internal engine components rotated freely. Further examination of the rod end bearing head revealed that the fracture was a bending overload failure.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,085 hours in all; 386 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 29, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 386 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2004; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming 360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2A0 Dayton TN at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 2A0 Dayton TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from kCHA, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N10736 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.