Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER accident near Fresno, California, May 24, 2015
On May 24, 2015 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 2008 Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER, registered N642JB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fresno, California (Fresno Chandler Executive 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 (NLG) leg due to fatigue fractures, which resulted in the NLG 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 24, 2015 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno Chandler Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER A, built 2008 · all SPORTCRUISERs on the register
- Registration
- N642JB · registry record · serial 08SC243
- 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, during the third landing of the flight and as the nose landing gear (NLG) touched down, an immediate shimmy developed that sounded "clunky." The NLG subsequently collapsed, and the light-sport airplane then skidded to a stop on the runway and sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot stated that the landing flare was "normal" and that the main landing gear touched down first. He reported that there were no anomalies with the landing gear during the previous two landings. Examination of the NLG assembly revealed that the NLG leg was fractured at the weld joint in the upper attachment area and that the fracture features were consistent with fatigue cracking. Multiple fatigue fracture origins were found at the forward edge of the assembly weld on the left side of the NLG leg. The fatigue crack penetrated about 50 percent of the NLG leg's cross-section and was consistent with side-to-side loading of the leg.
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 landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 252 hours in all; 221 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 211 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2014
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 870.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2015; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 870 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCH Fresno CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: FCH Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,627 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KFAT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N642JB 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.