Amateur-built W10-WITTMAN TAILWIND accident near Brooksville, Florida, September 29, 2021
On September 29, 2021 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2005 amateur-built W10-WITTMAN TAILWIND, registered N68TW, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Brooksville, Florida (Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl 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 failure of the nose landing gear retention bolt during taxi which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent impact with the taxiway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2021 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built W10-WITTMAN TAILWIND, built 2005
- Registration
- N68TW · registry record · serial 881
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after landing, he applied the brakes and felt a “violent shimmy.” He released the brakes and the nose landing gear leg rotated left and aft which resulted in the right wing impacting the runway surface. A post-accident examination revealed that the nose landing gear retention bolt had sheared and the airplane had sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that he was the second owner and noticed that the original builder had not followed the design plans for the airplane, so the pilot modified the nose wheel attach plate to strengthen it but did not modify the gear assembly attach point which resulted in the failure.
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 taxi (from runway)
- Part(s) separation from AC during taxi (from runway)
- Landing gear collapse during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure other cases naming the landing gear
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 985 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 985 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 4, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 21, 2021; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,480 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Viking Honda 195T (piston); 23 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from BKV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBKV 291553Z 02007KT 10SM CLR 29/17 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T02940172=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of right wing damage.
Photo 2 – View of collapsed nose landing gear folded up under fuselage.
Photo 3 –View of damage to engine cowl and propeller.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 5, 2022. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation_pilot/owner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record_pilot/owner E-mail to FAA | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array_accident Site and Damage | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N68TW on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Viking Honda 195T · as the NTSB recorded it
- Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 987 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,702 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA21LA385.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.