Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV accident near Sugar Land, Texas, November 11, 2007
On November 11, 2007 at about 4:21 pm local time, a Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV, registered N209LS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sugar Land, Texas (Sugar Land Regional Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapsed of the nose landing gear due to shimmy as the result of the improper installation of the nose landing gear upper torque arm pin by the flight crew during the preflight inspection of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2007 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Sugar Land, Texas · Sugar Land Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV · all G-IVs on the register
- Registration
- N209LS · registry record · serial 1449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the flight, approach to landing and touchdown were uneventful. Soon after touchdown, when the nose landing gear touched down, the ground spoilers deployed automatically and the thrust reversers were deployed. The pilot then stated: " When the nose wheels touched down, a violent vibration or shaking was felt, full back force was applied to the control yoke and the vibration eased until the aircraft slowed further and the vibration returned. The nose landing gear collapsed to the right side of the nose and the aircraft skidded to a stop." Damage was confirmed to a forward pressure vessel. Both nose landing gear tires remained inflated through the collapse. The nose gear assembly was shipped to Gulfstream facilities for further examination and analysis. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) were recovered following the accident. No significant information concerning the event was obtained from the CVR. The data from the FDR indicated that the landing touchdown was not heavy or with excessive drift. The data also indicated that the deceleration of the aircraft increased within seconds of the touchdown consistent with spoiler and thrust reverser deployment. Examination of the nose landing gear revealed that the nose landing collapsed and separation were the result of nose landing gear shimmy. The shimmy developed when the torque link connection to the nose wheel steering/damper unit separated as the result of the improper installation of the nose landing gear upper torque arm pin by the flight crew during the last preflight inspection of the aircraft.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 22
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc TAY 611SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc TAY 611SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avn Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Baton Rouge LA at 3:32 pm
- Destination: KSGR Sugar Land TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KSGR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.