Amateur-built 235 accident near Stuart, Florida, November 28, 2023
On November 28, 2023 at about 11:28 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built 235, registered N235N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Stuart, Florida (Whitman Field). 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A landing gear collapse due to a hydraulic fluid leak in the landing gear system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2023 · about 11:28 pm local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · Whitman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 235, built 2012
- Registration
- N235N · registry record · serial 071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted to extend the landing gear of the experimental amateur-built airplane, but did not receive a green light cockpit indication for the nose landing gear. He performed the emergency landing gear extension procedure and ultimately received a green light for the nose landing gear during an airport flyby, in which ground personnel observed that the nose landing gear was extended. The pilot subsequently performed a soft-field landing; however, the nose landing gear collapsed when it contacted the runway. The airplane veered left, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest upright in a grassy area to the left of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed extensive streaking of hydraulic fluid on the lower left section of the airplane and the empennage beginning at the area between the fuselage and left wing root and flap. The left main landing gear strut had separated during the accident and could have been one source of hydraulic fluid on the empennage. The landing gear hydraulic pump operated normally when tested and the landing gear downlock switches were found to be electrically operational as well. The hydraulic fluid reservoir was found to be low (approximately 25% filled), consistent with a hydraulic leak; however, due to impact damage, the source of the leak could not be determined, nor could the landing gear system be fully tested.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Hydraulic fluid › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,370 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 8,659 as pilot in command; 2,436 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 5, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 180 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 22, 2023; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 1,934 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEG Jacksonville FL at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,828 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from SUA
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSUA 282348Z 31004KT 7SM SCT022 BKN034 16/11 A3016=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 ERA24LA051.