Christen Industries A-1 accident near Opa Locka, Florida, March 21, 1995
On March 21, 1995 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Christen Industries A-1, registered N2923B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Opa Locka, Florida (Opa Locka airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
COLLAPSE OF THE TAILWHEEL GEAR ASSEMBLY, DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF A NUT BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1995 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Opa Locka, Florida · Opa Locka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries A-1
- Registration
- N2923B · no longer on the register · serial 1033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tailwheel gear assembly collapsed on landing, then the aircraft swerved to the left and went off the runway. During the swerve, the right wing contacted the ground and the aircraft was substantially damaged. An exam revealed that a nut was missing from the tailwheel assembly attach bolt, which allowed the tailwheel gear assembly to collapse sideways. The threads on the attach bolt were found damaged.
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: 1,100 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 366 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 2, 1994; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X21 Titusville FL at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 10,502 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from OPF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N2923B 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.