What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Upon landing aircoupe at kgif, runway 23 at 9:18 am EST on December 19, 2025, while attempting to maintain directional control on the runway, a loud “snap” occurred, seemingly emanating from under the forward floorboard or lower engine compartment, after which there was a complete loss of directional control by application of either nose wheel steering control. The aircraft veered left, struck an obstruction, possibly a taxiway sign, and came to rest on a taxiway facing northeast. The engine was shut down and the electrical master switch and magnetos secured in the off position. The maintenance facility at kgif towed the aircraft to the tie down area by the terminal. Upon visual inspection, damage to the left wing was observed. The propeller and engine were not affected by the incident. The aircraft was secured by tie down ropes and tire chocks. It was locked and the keys were given to kgif operations manager, who contacted the orlando FAA fisdo office and reported the incident. A representative of the FAA is scheduled to inspect the aircraft on Monday December 22, 2025 and if all is in order, they will issue a release of the aircraft. A representative of avemco insurance will follow the FAA visit with their inspection. Carter aircraft, inc. will arrange to remove the wings and transport the aircraft to their facility in sebring Florida to determine the cause of loss of ground directional control and the extent of the damage.
To the best of my knowledge and recollection, this report is true and correct as of December 22, 2025.
As the FAA filed it
UPON LANDING AIRCOUPE AT KGIF, RUNWAY 23 AT 9:18 AM EST ON DECEMBER 19, 2025, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE RUNWAY, A LOUD “SNAP” OCCURRED, SEEMINGLY EMANATING FROM UNDER THE FORWARD FLOORBOARD OR LOWER ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AFTER WHICH THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY APPLICATION OF EITHER NOSE WHEEL STEERING CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT, STRUCK AN OBSTRUCTION, POSSIBLY A TAXIWAY SIGN, AND CAME TO REST ON A TAXIWAY FACING NORTHEAST. THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN AND THE ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH AND MAGNETOS SECURED IN THE OFF POSITION. THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY AT KGIF TOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE TIE DOWN AREA BY THE TERMINAL. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION, DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING WAS OBSERVED. THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE WERE NOT AFFECTED BY THE INCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SECURED BY TIE DOWN ROPES AND TIRE CHOCKS. IT WAS LOCKED AND THE KEYS WERE GIVEN TO KGIF OPERATIONS MANAGER, WHO CONTACTED THE ORLANDO FAA FISDO OFFICE AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FAA IS SCHEDULED TO INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT ON MONDAY DECEMBER 22, 2025 AND IF ALL IS IN ORDER, THEY WILL ISSUE A RELEASE OF THE AIRCRAFT. A REPRESENTATIVE OF AVEMCO INSURANCE WILL FOLLOW THE FAA VISIT WITH THEIR INSPECTION. CARTER AIRCRAFT, INC. WILL ARRANGE TO REMOVE THE WINGS AND TRANSPORT THE AIRCRAFT TO THEIR FACILITY IN SEBRING FLORIDA TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF LOSS OF GROUND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.
TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND RECOLLECTION, THIS REPORT IS TRUE AND CORRECT AS OF DECEMBER 22, 2025.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.