Amateur-built LEDER VELOCITY XL RG accident near Thomson, Georgia, July 2, 2012
On July 2, 2012 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built LEDER VELOCITY XL RG, registered N224SM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Thomson, Georgia (Thomson-Mcduffie 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Separation of the nose landing gear due to a preexisting fatigue crack caused by an earlier shimmy event and the subsequent incorrect installation of the shimmy dampener.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2012 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Thomson, Georgia · Thomson-Mcduffie · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LEDER VELOCITY XL RG
- Registration
- N224SM · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on the main landing gear and then lowered the nose landing gear on the runway. The nosewheel started to shimmy, and the pilot applied aft pressure on the control yoke; however, the nose landing gear strut assembly subsequently separated from the airplane and the airplane veered right and came to rest in the grass off the right side of the runway. The pilot further stated that he had experienced a shimmy event about 50 flight hours before the accident, and he decided to install a shimmy dampener on the airplane. Metallurgical examination of the components revealed the nose landing gear separated due to a preexisting fatigue crack caused by the earlier shimmy event and the subsequent incorrect installation of the shimmy dampener. Specifically, the shimmy dampener alignment pin had not been installed, which rendered the shimmy dampener ineffective.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Shimmy damper › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: powered-lift
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 224 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 389 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 29, 2011; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKN Elkin WV at 5:35 pm
- Destination: HQU Thomson GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,503 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from HQU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA12LA431.