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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.

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November 6, 2020 · Cirrus Design SR20 · N720TX

Fort Worth, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 6, 2020
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Fort Worth, TX
Aircraft
Cirrus Design SR20 (2005)
Tail Number
N720TX
Operator
Plane Smart Aviation
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN21LA108

Just after touchdown during landing, the airplane’s nose landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall. Examination revealed that the gear strut separated near the top of the assembly. Video of the landing was not consistent with a hard landing. The airplane had experienced a hard landing about 2 months before the accident landing, after which it was inspected in accordance with the manufacturer’s hard landing checklist. The accident landing was the fourth landing since being returned to service. The nose landing gear strut assembly was not retained and provided for metallurgical examination. It could not be determined if the strut failed due to damage from the previous hard landing or another hard landing before the accident flight.

NTSB Probable Cause

A failure of the nose wheel landing strut for reasons that could not be determined based on available information.

Full Narrative

On November 5, 2020, at 2233 central standard time, a Cirrus SR20 airplane, N720TX, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor and the student pilot were conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings to runway 16R. After the airplane touched down, the nose of the airplane came down and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on the runway. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the firewall and lower composite structure. The nose landing gear tire was flat, and the nose landing gear strut was separated at the top of the assembly. A video provided by the flight instructor, which recorded the landing, showed that the accident landing was not a hard landing. The airplane touched down and as the nose of the airplane came down and contacted the runway, a sound consistent with a flat tire could be heard, followed by the subsequent nose landing gear collapse. According to the FAA inspector, the airplane had experienced a hard landing about 2 months before the accident landing. The operator completed the Cirrus Hard/Overweight Landing maintenance checklist and subsequently returned the airplane to service. The accident landing was the fourth landing following the return to service. The nose landing gear strut assembly was not retained by the operator and submitted for metallurgical examination. Pictures of the fracture surface were inconclusive.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time22:33 CST
Nearest AirportFort Worth Alliance (0nm SSE)
Runway16R
Runway Length11000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCirrus Design SR20
Tail NumberN720TX
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorPlane Smart Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsCont Motor · IO-360 SER · Reciprocating · 300
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 56 · First Class · None
Crew 2First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightNight
Wind110° @ 5 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F / 57
Altimeter30.14 inHg
Observation Time22:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data