Rockwell International CORP 695 accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 31, 2023
On May 31, 2023 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 1980 Rockwell International CORP 695, registered N515AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the nose gear support structure for unknown reasons, which resulted in the nose landing gear collapsing during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2023 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Philadelphia Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International CORP 695, built 1980 · all 695s on the register
- Registration
- N515AM · registry record · serial 95008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that after a normal touch down he felt a wobble in the nose landing gear before it collapsed. The nose landing gear was pushed back into its wheel well and the airplane slid to a stop on the forward lower fuselage, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed the upper drag brace pivot support structure of the nose landing gear was damaged, which most likely allowed the drag brace to rotate and the nose gear to retract/collapse. It was not determined why the support structure failed.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,669 hours in all; 740 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3,279 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 9, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,561 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 10,750 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE-331-10-51 (turboprop); 10,408 hours total
- Engine 3: Honeywell TPE-331-10-51 (turboprop); 10,371 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 17N Williamstown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KPHL, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPHL 311954Z 09007KT 9SM FEW250 26/10 A3014 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2024. 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 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Manufacturer - Engineering Nto Report | PDF, 19 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.