# Accident 20120403005969A: Jones SA105, New Smyrna Beac, FL, April 3, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 3, 2012, 12:02 local time
- Place: New Smyrna Beac, FL
- Airport: New Smyrna Beach Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.0556° N, 80.9489° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0556&lon=-80.9489&mi=10
- Aircraft: N320WJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N320WJ-2018-06-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Jones SA105 (registry code 05629BC, https://openairdocs.org/model/jones-sa105) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1C (registry code 41909, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-b1c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JONES SA105
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-320-B1C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,100 total, 28 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12LA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA296) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120403005969A

## Narrative

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

AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT OPERATING ON PHASE 1 FLIGHTS IN THE NEW SMYRNA BEACH TEST AREA PRESCRIBED ENCOUNTERED A SECOND GEAR MALFUNCTION. THE AIRCRAFT RECENTLY CERTIFICATED, LOGGING APPROXIMATELY 28 HOURS TO DATE. THE PREVIOUS ON RECORD 01/06/2012, AND MAINTENANCE ACTION INDICATED A FAULTY DOWN LOCK ACTUATOR. THIS ACCIDENT ALSO GEAR RELATED INVOLVED THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSING WHILE TAXING ON THE GRASSY AREA TO RUNWAY 7 AND CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE. DURING MY INSPECTION NOTED THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AS WELL PROPELLER AND OTHER ASSOCIATED AREAS AROUND THE NOSE STRUCTURE. INITIALLY DURING THE INSPECTION QUESTIONED INSTALLATION PROCEDURES OF THE RETRACTABLE SYSTEM. THIS AIRCRAFT CONSIDERED IN MY OPINION DESTROYED HAS HAD ON GOING GEAR RELATED PROBLEMS SINCE CERTIFICATED. NONETHELESS, WHEN REVIEWING THE DRAWINGS IT APPEARED THAT ALL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WERE INSTALLED PER BUILDER INSTRUCTIONS & DRAWINGS. VISUAL INSPECTION NOTED THE SECURING BRACKETS USED FOR MOUNTING THE NOSE GEAR FAILED WHEREAS THE SUPPORT IMPALED INTO THE COCKPIT FLOORING AND CRUSHING THE WOOD SURFACE OF THE CENTER PEDESTAL, CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND INTEGRITY OF ITS DESIGN. WHETHER THE PREVIOUS GEAR COLLAPSE CAUSED STRESS AND UNDETECTED WEAKENING OF THE NOSE GEAR SUPPORT STRUCTURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. FURTHERMORE THIS MODEL AIRCRAFT IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS TYPE TO HAVE A RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR AND IT APPEARS THAT THE PLANS MAY REFLECT A WEAK OR POOR DESIGN TYPE.

## 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 ERA12LA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA296), Apr 3, 2012: Jones SA105 (N320WJ), New Smyrna Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the nose landing gear wooden attachment/support structure, which resulted in collapse of the nose landing gear during taxi. Contributing to the accident was the improper design of the…

## Other reports on N320WJ (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20120106001349I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120106001349I), Jan 6, 2012: Jones SA105 (N320WJ), New Smyrna Beac, FL, Minor damage. Aircraft was on second flight of phase one test and the first inflight gear retraction. Observers noticed that nose landing gear was not fully extended.…

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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