Amateur-built Smith AVN Replica SU accident near St. Johns, Arizona, March 13, 2012
On March 13, 2012 at about 4:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Smith AVN Replica SU, registered N712AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St. Johns, Arizona (St. Johns Industrial Air Park airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots’ failure to maintain directional control when the right brake locked up during the landing roll for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2012 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- St. Johns, Arizona · St. Johns Industrial Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Smith AVN Replica SU
- Registration
- N712AZ · no longer on the register · serial 04076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was receiving instruction in it. The pilot reported that the day before the accident, during landing, the left brake became less responsive than the right, and the airplane veered off of the runway but incurred no damage. The pilot and his flight instructor then bled the brake lines. This was followed by taxi and touch-and-go landing checks with no anomalies noted. The following morning the brakes were tested again and were operational. During the fourth landing that morning, the right brake locked up, and the airplane swerved to the right and nosed over. Although the flight instructor indicated that he had signed off the pilot for his tailwheel endorsement the day of the accident, he did not hold a current airman medical certificate. Additionally, the instructor reported that he did not remain on the flight controls with the pilot during the landings. Postaccident examination of the brake system revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 257 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Last flight review: May 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2012; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mattituck TMX O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJN St. Johns AZ at 4:40 pm
- Destination: SJN St. Johns AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,322 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from SJN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N712AZ 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.