Amateur-built DAYTONA SU accident near Guymon, Oklahoma, February 26, 2009
On February 26, 2009 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DAYTONA SU, registered N170DN, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Guymon, Oklahoma (Guymon Municipal 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
Failure of the left main landing gear shock/strut during takeoff for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2009 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Guymon, Oklahoma · Guymon Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DAYTONA SU
- Registration
- N170DN · registry record · serial DC-04
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, the experimental airplane's left main landing gear shock strut rod separated. During an emergency landing, the separated rod impaled the ground, which caused the airplane to nose over on the left wing and come to rest inverted. The airplane was equipped with 35-inch-wide tundra tires. According to the tire manufacturer, several operators of this make/model airplane are equipped with 31-inch-wide tundra tires and there have been no reported shock strut rod separations. The investigation could not determine why the rod separated.
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
What happened, in order
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Charley Lease LLC
The flight
- Departed from: None Guymon OK at 6:30 pm
- Destination: GUY Guymon OK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 06, 1,795 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.