Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

April 13, 2012 · Piper PA-20 · N7001K

Cross Keys, NJ

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 13, 2012
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Cross Keys, NJ
Aircraft
Piper PA-20
Tail Number
N7001K
Operator
Jersey Devil Dusters
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ERA12LA287

According to the pilot, minimal wind correction was required while on the final leg of the approach. Airport surveillance camera footage indicated that the airplane landed and veered several times left and right before departing the left side of the runway, where it came to rest. Rubber tire marks were evident on the runway near the airplane’s touchdown point. Farther down the runway, a single rubber tire mark and wing paint transfer were observed, beginning left of the runway centerline and continuing onto the intersecting taxiway, near where the airplane came to rest. Postaccident examination revealed that the right main landing gear failed during the landing. Although internal corrosion of the landing gear was noted, a detailed examination of the failed landing gear revealed no corrosion associated with the overstress fracture surfaces. Although major repairs were performed on the landing gear assembly about 43 years before the accident, there was no indication that those repairs contributed to the accident. Based on physical and security camera evidence, it is likely that upon landing, the pilot placed a sideload on the landing gear, tried to realign with the runway centerline, but overcorrected and subsequently lost control.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the overstress and subsequent failure of the right main landing gear assembly.

Full Narrative

On April 13, 2012, about 1418 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-20, N7001K, was substantially damaged when the right main landing gear collapsed during landing at Cross Keys Airport (17N), Cross Keys, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Jersey Devil Dusters, LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from the Flying W Airport (N14), Lumberton, New Jersey about 1400. According to the pilot, while on right downwind for runway 9, he observed the windsock indicate that there would be a quartering headwind condition on the final leg of the approach. While on final approach, the pilot further reported that minimal amount of wind correction was required to maintain alignment with the centerline of the runway. During the landing roll, at a slow airspeed, the right wing dropped, and the airplane subsequently came to rest. Security camera video at the airport, located about midfield and approximately 60 feet from the left edge of the landing runway, revealed that about 1406 the airplane was on the final leg of the approach. As the airplane crossed over a line of trees, about 700 feet prior to the runway threshold, the wings were observed rocking to the left and then to the right, which continued intermittently and was more apparent over the runway threshold. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear about 900 feet past the threshold. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered slightly to the left, then to the right, and then back to the left; however, the main landing gear remained within the vicinity of the runway centerline after touchdown. Another security camera, located near the fixed base operator, recorded the airplane land, as the other camera had captured, and then veer to the right. The left wing lifted and the airplane turned to the left in a right-wing-down attitude before exiting the side of the runway, where it came to rest in a right wing down attitude. Initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the right main landing gear attach point and the adjacent fuselage structure. Photographs provided by the FAA revealed marks similar to a rubber tire marks on the runway looking back towards the runway threshold. Another photograph, looking down the runway in the direction of travel, revealed a tire mark and wing paint transfer beginning to the left of the runway centerline and continuing onto the intersecting taxiway. The rubber mark was consistent in dimension until approximately 15 feet from the runway edge at which point the tire witness marks revealed uneven tire movement. The right main landing gear was removed and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination. The assembly was received with the tire partially on the rim; however, the outer bead portion of the wheel was not received. Examination revealed clean, matte grey fracture surfaces oriented on slant planes through the tube walls at all fracture and partial fracture locations. The fractures were consistent with overstress separations and no corrosion was noted associated with any of the fractures. The pilot reported 980.2 hours of total flight experience, which included 28 hours in the accident airplane make and model. He further reported that the total time on the landing gear assembly was 1,433.1 total hours, and that it had been inspected 24 flight hours prior to the accident. According to the pilot and FAA records, the right main landing gear attach fittings, right lower longeron, and right landing gear had repairs accomplished in 1979.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:18 EDT
Nearest AirportCross Keys Airport (0nm)
Runway09
Runway Length3500 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-20
Tail NumberN7001K
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorJersey Devil Dusters
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-290-D · Reciprocating · 125
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 20 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind360° @ 10 kt, gusting 14 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point61 F / 28 C
Altimeter30.21 inHg
Observation Time17:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data