North American TB-25N accident near Georgetown, Delaware, September 4, 2011
On September 4, 2011 at about 9:45 pm local time, a North American TB-25N, registered N9079Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Georgetown, Delaware (Sussex County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel's inadequate examination of the main landing gear during the airplane’s most recent conditional inspection, which resulted in the fatigue failure of the right main landing gear shock strut drag arm during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2011 · about 9:45 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Georgetown, Delaware · Sussex County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American TB-25N · all TB-25Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9079Z · registry record · serial 44-30734
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to both pilots, they landed the airplane and felt the right wing drop during the landing roll. They attempted to maintain directional control, but the right wing dropped further and the airplane veered off of the right side of the runway. During a subsequent examination of the wreckage, the right main landing gear shock strut drag arm was found broken. An examination of the broken drag arm revealed that it fractured in the I-beam at the blend radius of an orthogonal arm due to bending fatigue. Given the extent of fatigue crack propagation in the flange of the I-beam, it is likely that the fracture occurred due to high-cycle, low-stress fatigue. Since the depth of the fatigue crack was significant relative to the I-beam flange thickness, the fatigue crack probably developed and propagated over a long time under numerous low-stress cycles. The most recent inspection of the main landing gear was on July 7, 2011, which was in accordance with a conditional inspection. The inspection required a mechanic to verify the condition and security of the main landing gear. It is most likely that the fatigue crack would have been detectable at the time of that inspection.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Inadequate inspection other cases naming the landing gear
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,633 hours in all; 1,344 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 4,450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,701 hours in all; 1,120 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 10,480 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 25, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,242 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 11, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 28,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Wright R-2600 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Wright R-2600 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rag Wings & Radials Aircraft Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: NHK Patuxent River MD at 9:00 pm
- Destination: GED Georgetown DE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from GED
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on July 3, 2012. 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 | Crew Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Excerpt of Maintenance Record: Landing Gear Replacement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Most Recent Maintenance Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpt of North American B25 Inspection Schedule | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Ged Weather Observations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 11-134 with 6 Embedded Images) | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Photo 1: View of Airplane at Rest (Courtesy of Operator) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo 2: View of Broken Right Main Landig Gear (Courtesy of Operator) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Photo 3: View of Fracture Surface (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N9079Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9079Z on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American TB-25 22 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Wright R-2600 SER 52 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Wright R-2600 SER 52 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Delaware Coastal Airport · nearest airport
- Patuxent River Naval Air Station (Trapnell Field) · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Delaware 116 since 1982 · 16 in the last ten years
- Delaware 10,958 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N9079Z 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA11LA484.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.