Flight Design GMBH CTLS incident near Marysville, Ohio, July 16, 2012
On July 16, 2012 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Flight Design GMBH CTLS, registered N566FD, suffered minor damage in an incident during takeoff near Marysville, Ohio (Union County airport). It was an instructional 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
Fatigue failure of the left main wheel assembly on takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2012 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Marysville, Ohio · Union County · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTLS · all CTLSs on the register
- Registration
- N566FD · registry record · serial 08-03-06
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that before the accident, he landed without incident and taxied back for takeoff. During the subsequent takeoff roll, he felt a "jolt" and heard a "thumping" sound from the left main wheel. The airplane immediately veered to the left and departed the runway pavement. A postincident examination revealed that a section of the outboard half of the left main wheel assembly had failed. Airplane damage was limited to the left main landing gear, engine cowling, and propeller assembly. Metallurgical examination of the left outboard wheel revealed that it failed as a result of fatigue.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,396 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New Flyers Association
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 10:05 pm
- Destination: MRT Marysville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,218 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MRT
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.
Other NTSB records under N566FD 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.