Amateur-built BARRACUDA accident near Payson, Arizona, October 27, 2012
On October 27, 2012 at about 4:25 pm local time, a 1975 amateur-built BARRACUDA, registered N19GS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Payson, Arizona (Payson 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
The failure of the landing gear to remain extended 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
- October 27, 2012 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Payson, Arizona · Payson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BARRACUDA NO SERIES, built 1975
- Registration
- N19GS · registry record · serial 0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had purchased the experimental, amateur-built airplane from its designer/builder about 32 years after the airplane had been issued its airworthiness certificate. The airplane was the prototype and first-constructed edition of that model. Two years after the purchase, the airplane was damaged on landing due to a problem with the nose landing gear. The pilot subsequently determined that certain nose gear components were of insufficient strength and he had them "repaired and reinforced." About 3 years later, after the airplane had accumulated an undetermined amount of time or cycles since the repairs, the pilot departed on the accident flight, which was a personal cross-country flight, with a passenger. The pilot observed a landing gear annunciation light sequencing abnormality during the gear retraction. The airplane did not experience any additional problems until the pilot selected the landing gear to the extended position and observed that the light indicating that the nose landing gear was down and locked did not illuminate. He conducted a low flyby of the airport, and a ground observer radioed that the nose gear appeared to be fully extended. However, upon landing, first the nose gear and then the two main gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. Postaccident examination of the landing gear system did not reveal any anomalies 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 520 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 27, 2011; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 2,136 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 4:00 pm
- Destination: PAN Payson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from PAN
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.
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.