Remos Aircraft GMBH Flugzeugba GX accident near Glendale, Arizona, November 4, 2020
On November 4, 2020 at about 7:20 pm local time, a 2009 Remos Aircraft GMBH Flugzeugba GX, registered N87GX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 material overstress failure of the airframe’s aluminum carry-through of the main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2020 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Remos Aircraft GMBH Flugzeugba GX, built 2009
- Registration
- N87GX · registry record · serial 351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon landing, the airplane veered to the left and the flight instructor took control of the airplane, preventing a runway excursion. During the landing, roll a grinding noise occurred and the flight instructor was able to shut down the airplane on a nearby taxiway. A postaccident examination revealed that the aluminum carry-through spar failed in overstress. A portion of the failed carry-through remained attached to the landing gear and breached the composite structure, entering the cabin floor under the passenger seat. About 12 inches of the carry-through structure had separated from the airplane, permitting the horizontal stabilizer and elevator to skid on runway surface, eroding the composite structure. The fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with overstress and hardness; conductivity measurements were consistent with a material that met the minimum strength requirements for the carry-through. A review of the maintenance records revealed that the manufacturer’s service bulletin for the mandatory inspection had been accomplished. The service bulletin called for the replacement of the carry-through as soon as practical, but, at the latest, after detection of cracks or 800 total landings, which ever came first. The carry-through failure occurred when the airplane had accumulated nearly 437 landings. The accident airplane was operated as a flight training airplane and likely experienced a hard landing during flight training operations, which may have accelerated the carry-through overstress failure.
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 structures › Fuselage › Gear attach fittings (on fus) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Fuselage attach fittings sys › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,374 hours in all; 20.1 in this make and model; 25.7 in the last 90 days; 21.3 in the last 30 days; 3,238.6 as pilot in command; 2,259.9 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 4, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 128.9 hours in all; 68.2 in this make and model; 32.8 in the last 90 days; 12.9 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 334.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 29, 2020; 16.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS/309120 (piston); 3,348 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from KGEU
Weather report (METAR): KGEU 041850Z 00000KT 10SM SKC 28/03 A3010
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 21-065 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation -lsrm | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Manufacturer Service Bulletin | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Airframe Logbook Entry | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Estimated Airframe Landings at Time of Service Bulletin Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.