Titan T51 accident near Madisonville, Tennessee, June 8, 2024
On June 8, 2024 at about 2:08 pm local time, a 2012 Titan T51, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N512JA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Madisonville, Tennessee (Monroe County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the right main landing gear weldment due to fatigue cracking.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2024 · about 2:08 pm local time
- Place
- Madisonville, Tennessee · Monroe County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Titan T51 UNDESIGNAT, built 2012, amateur-built
- Registration
- N512JA · registry record · serial 39
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing, the pilot felt a violent tailwheel shimmy and the airplane veered left. He applied full right rudder and brakes, but the airplane continued to veer toward the left edge of the runway. The right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and the airplane departed the runway onto the grass. Postaccident examination found that both of the lower main landing gear weldments had fractured, in addition to the tailwheel attachment link. Metallurgical analysis determined that the lower right landing gear weldment failed on landing due to fatigue cracking that originated at multiple locations on the weld and propagated over time. The remaining fracture surfaces on the right landing gear, left landing gear, and tailwheel link showed overstress, most likely due to the landing sequence. According to the pilot, the weldment made to the right landing gear was not fabricated by the airplane’s kit supplier. It was fabricated about 12 years before the accident flight by a 3rd party welder whom he hired to repair damage from a previous accident. The pilot said that he did not observe any detectable issues with the weldment before the accident.
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)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 14,174 hours in all; 272 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 230.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 5, 2024; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,980 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honda J35A (piston); 88 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TN20 Seymour TN at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 3,643 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am from KMNV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMNV 081415Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/14 A3004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane at Accident Site
Photograph 2 – Damage to Right Wing
Photograph 3 – Front View of Airplane Damage
Photograph 4 – Left Side View of AirplaneThe 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2026. 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, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Mor - Excerpt of FAA Inspector's Written Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 19 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N512JA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.