Amateur-built AVID AMPHIBIAN accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, December 17, 2000
On December 17, 2000 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID AMPHIBIAN, registered N6013T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (Private Airstrip 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 landing gear axle for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2000 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID AMPHIBIAN AVID AMPHI
- Registration
- N6013T · no longer on the register · serial 121A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built experimental aircraft had recently been purchased and the purpose of the flight was for the pilot, a friend of the new owners, to familiarize himself with the airplane prior to checking them out. The aircraft was equipped with amphibious floats produced in kit form by the aircraft kit manufacturer. The pilot reported that the terrain landing was normal until, after about 50 feet of rollout, the left main landing gear axle bent, collapsed, and locked the wheel. He was unable to prevent the airplane from veering off the runway where it struck a parked helicopter. According to the owner, after the accident, he learned that the wheels for terrain landing are built into the floats using balloon tires but no other mechanical shock absorption mechanism. Because of other similar incidents, an after-market kit was available to incorporate shock absorbers. The failed axle was not made available to the Safety Board in order to determine the failure cause.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 48 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2000; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 618 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,850 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 142°F (61°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from LAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N6013T 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.