Amateur-built Bearhawk accident near Ahoskie, North Carolina, April 17, 2020
On April 17, 2020 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 2013 amateur-built Bearhawk, registered N118CR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Ahoskie, North Carolina (Tri-County Airport). It was a personal 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 collapse of the right main landing gear during a bounced, crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2020 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ahoskie, North Carolina · Tri-County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Bearhawk, built 2013
- Registration
- N118CR · registry record · serial 88
- 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, during landing roll, the right main landing gear (MLG) collapsed. He added that there were two bolts that secure the right MLG and that he found them both fractured after the accident. The pilot believed that one of the bolts was not properly tightened/torqued and failed first and that the second bolt then failed due to overstress. A witness who was working at the airport at the time of the accident reported that he noticed a small airplane approaching and that it appeared to be "wobbling" as it came in for landing. Upon landing, the airplane "bounced" on the runway, turned left, and departed the runway. The witness was unable to see the entire touchdown because his line of sight was partially obscured by buildings, but he noticed that one wingtip seemed to rise 15 to 20 ft during the bounce. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, airframe, and tailwheel. A 6-knot crosswind existed at the time of the landing.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Not specified
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 29, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 169 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 18, 2019; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ROA Roanoke VA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: ASJ Ahoskie NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,501 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from ASJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.