# Accident 20040723024169A: Amtr DEFIANT, Deland, FL, July 23, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 2004, 16:58 local time
- Place: Deland, FL
- Airport: Deland Municipal-Sidney H Taylor
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.0669° N, 81.2839° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0669&lon=-81.2839&mi=10
- Aircraft: N369BL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N369BL-2017-06-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Labonte Robert J DEFIANT (registry code 05617M4, https://openairdocs.org/model/labonte-robert-j-defiant) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR DEFIANT
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,499 total, 11 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA04LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA04LA111) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040723024169A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON 7-23-2004 AT 1658 LOCAL TIME, A HOMEBUILT DEFIANT, N369BL, EXPERIENCED A COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR UPON TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 05 AT DELAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, DELAND, FL. THE AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A RUNWAY SIGN, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT CANARD, RIGHT ELEVATOR, AND FUSELAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MASSEY AIRPARK AT ABOUT 1640 LOCAL TIME, AND THAT UPON BASE LEG FOR RUNWAY 05 AT DELAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HE LOWERED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR AND ASSUMED THAT IT WAS LOCKED. HOWEVER, UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED THAT, UPON REMOVAL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE NOSE WAS RAISED AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS LOWERED AND LOCKED INTO THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. THERE WAS NO FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENSION SYSTEM OBSERVED DURING SUCH OPERATION. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT, DURING THE LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR DOWN LOCK MAY HAVE BEEN ONLY PARTIALLY ENGAGED, THUS ALLOWING THE GEAR TO COLLAPSE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA04LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA04LA111), Jul 23, 2004: Robert J. Labonte Defiant (N369BL), DeLand, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to fully extend the nose landing gear resulting in collapse of it during the landing roll. A contributing factor in the accident was the lack of a nose landing gear down and…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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