Amateur-built GH125 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, September 19, 2011
On September 19, 2011 at about 1:30 pm local time, a amateur-built GH125, registered N79GH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee Country 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
The non-certificated pilot's improper flare on an earlier flight, which resulted in a hard landing, fracture of the right main landing gear bolt, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2011 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee Country Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GH125
- Registration
- N79GH · no longer on the register · serial 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot was taxiing the airplane to the ramp area when the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane rotated 180 degrees, damaging the right wing before coming to rest. A postaccident examination revealed that a bolt in the right main landing gear had fractured. Subsequent examination of the bolt determined that it fractured in overstress due to concomitant shear and bending stresses. In addition, the pilot stated that he might have landed the airplane hard on the day of the accident and also a few times prior to the accident. The right main landing gear bolt had accumulated 265 hours of total time in service. No additional mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 265 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 28, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,509 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OBE Okeechobee FL at 12:45 pm
- Destination: OBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from OBE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 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 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 12-005 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Okeechobee County Sheriff Short Form Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Obe Weather Observations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Records (Excerpts) | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Memorandum of Record: FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Part | 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 N79GH 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.