Amateur-built D-260 accident near Andover, New Jersey, May 5, 2002
On May 5, 2002 at about 2:00 pm local time, a amateur-built D-260, registered N112JF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andover, New Jersey (Aeroflex-Andover 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 pilot's failure to obtain proper runway alignment while landing, which resulted in a gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2002 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Andover, New Jersey · Aeroflex-Andover Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built D-260
- Registration
- N112JF · registry record · serial 10913A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as the airplane touched down on the runway, he heard a "pop," and the left main gear collapsed. Two witnesses reported that the airplane touched down hard, and with a side load on the landing gear. Examination of the left main landing gear revealed that two 5/16-inch bolts secured the spring gear to the airframe. One of the two bolts had sheared, and the other was bent. According to a Safety Board Metallurgist, the bolt failure was consistent with a direct shear ductile overstress separation.
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: 500 hours in all; 207 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 28, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 987 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Nazareth PA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 12N Andover NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,981 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FWN, 10 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.