North American AT-6G accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, November 20, 1982
On November 20, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a North American AT-6G, registered N7618C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Spruce Creek
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6G · all AT-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N7618C · registry record · serial 49-3405
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. INSPECTION SHOWED THE STRUT HAD SEPARATED IN THE UPPERMOST COMPONENT CONTAINING THE DOWNLOCK EAR THAT IS THREADED INTO THE UPPER BARREL OF THE SHOCK STRUT. EXAMINATION OF THE ASSEMBLY SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A PREVIOUS CRACK AND FATIQUE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 3912 HOURS IN SERVICE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,719 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,912 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Daytona Beach FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 169°F (76°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from DAB, 6 miles away
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.
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.