Rockwell 690 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, June 10, 2019
On June 10, 2019 at about 10:46 pm local time, a 1975 Rockwell 690, registered N197GB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Jacksonville, Florida (Cecil airport). It was a firefighting flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The overstress fracture of the roll pin in the nose landing gear (NLG) spacer assembly which caused interference between the nose wheel actuator rod and the left forward gear door actuating rods preventing the NLG to fully extend into the full down and locked position resulting in a nose gear collapse during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2019 · about 10:46 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Cecil · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 690 A, built 1975
- Registration
- N197GB · registry record · serial 11282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the flight crew was returning to the airport for landing after a firefighting reconnaissance flight, the nose landing gear (NLG) was extended but the NLG position light did not illuminate. The flight crew cycled the gear and attempted to troubleshoot but was unable to resolve the problem. The pilot advised the tower controller of the situation and requested that the tower controller and other observers verify the position of the NLG during subsequent low passes. After being twice advised that the NLG appeared to be extended, the flight crew decided to divert to another airport that had crash rescue services. During the landing at the alternate airport, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Examination of the nose landing gear determined that the roll pin in the spacer that connected the nosewheel steering cylinder to the strut had fractured in overstress. After the accident, the NLG was cycled using the gear extension handle in the cockpit, which revealed interference between the nose wheel actuator rod and the left forward gear door actuating rods. This interference likely prevented the nose landing gear from fully extending into the down-and-locked position.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,327 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 4,036 as pilot in command; 1,656 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 10, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,178.9 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 17, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 10,251 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TPE331-10T (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TPE331-10T (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ponderosa Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LCQ Lake City FL at 10:10 pm
- Destination: LCQ Lake City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18L, 12,503 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on June 17, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record for Landing Gear Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photographs | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | NTSB Party Forms | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 19-053 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.