# NTSB ERA24LA255: Titan T51, N512JA, Madisonville, TN, June 8, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 8, 2024, 10:08 local (14:08 UTC) - Place: Madisonville, TN - Coordinates: 35.545232, -84.3804 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5452&lon=-84.3804&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 29, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194447 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA255 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194447/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194447 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA255 ## Probable cause The failure of the right main landing gear weldment due to fatigue cracking. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear attach sec](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Auman JL T-51, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md?model=05623X7), [All aircraft, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Auman JL T-51, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=05623X7), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Auman JL T-51, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05623X7), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis After landing, the pilot felt a violent tailwheel shimmy and the airplane veered left. He applied full right rudder and brakes, but the airplane continued to veer toward the left edge of the runway. The right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and the airplane departed the runway onto the grass. Postaccident examination found that both of the lower main landing gear weldments had fractured, in addition to the tailwheel attachment link. Metallurgical analysis determined that the lower right landing gear weldment failed on landing due to fatigue cracking that originated at multiple locations on the weld and propagated over time. The remaining fracture surfaces on the right landing gear, left landing gear, and tailwheel link showed overstress, most likely due to the landing sequence. According to the pilot, the weldment made to the right landing gear was not fabricated by the airplane’s kit supplier. It was fabricated about 12 years before the accident flight by a 3rd party welder whom he hired to repair damage from a previous accident. The pilot said that he did not observe any detectable issues with the weldment before the accident. ## Factual narrative On June 8, 2024, at 1008 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Titan T-51 airplane, N512JA, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Madisonville, Tennessee. The airline transport pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot, who also built the airplane, stated that after he landed at the Monroe County Airport (MNV), Madisonville, Tennessee, he felt a “violent shimmy” from the tailwheel and the airplane began to veer left. He attempted to steer the airplane with full right rudder and brakes, but the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane began to exit the runway when the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to a rest just off the runway in the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage, and all four composite propeller blades sheared from the hub. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the welded joints for the left and right main landing gear had failed and the tailwheel attachment link had fractured. The tailwheel link and the fractured weldments were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination. The examination revealed that the right landing gear weldment fractured during landing from fatigue cracking that had initiated at multiple locations on the outer surface of the weld. The fatigue cracking propagated over time through the weld filler to approximately 1.6 inches in circumference. The remainder of the fracture surface exhibited features consistent with overstress. The fracture surfaces of the left landing gear weldment and tailwheel link were both consistent with overstress. According to the pilot, the weldment made to the right landing gear was not fabricated by the airplane’s kit supplier. It was fabricated about 12 years before the accident flight by a 3rd party welder whom he hired to repair damage from a previous accident. The pilot said that he did not observe any detectable issues with the right landing gear weldment before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N512JA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N512JA), registered now, S/N 39, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TITAN T51 (UNDESIGNATED SERIES) - Registry model: [Auman JL T-51](https://openairdocs.org/model/auman-jl-t-51) (registry code 05623X7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Honda CIVIC](https://openairdocs.org/engine/honda-civic) (registry code 33802, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 39 - Year built: 2012 - Airframe hours: 230.4 - Engines: HONDA J35A 245 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 5, 2024, 5 hours before - Departed: TN20, Seymour, TN - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: MNV, Monroe County, runway 05/23, 3,643 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: minor; flight instructor, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 27, 2023; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 14,174 total, 272 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KMNV - METAR: METAR KMNV 081415Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/14 A3004 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20240608006399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240608006399A), Jun 8, 2024: Auman Jl T-51, Madisonville, TN, Substantial damage. Upon landing aircraft began to violently shimmy from side to side to which the pilot was unable to arrest with brakes or rudder input. Soon after the right… ## Other investigations on N512JA (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 CEN13LA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA103), Dec 11, 2012: Auman JL T-51 (N512JA), Dekalb, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper engine overhaul by the airplane kit manufacturer, which resulted in a catastrophic engine failure. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194447. 15.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20035027&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photos (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20034266&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photos-Rel.pdf - NTSB mor - excerpt of FAA inspector's written statement (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20035417&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20MOR%20-%20Excerpt%20of%20FAA%20Inspector%20Written%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Materials laboratory factual report (item 4, PDF, 19 pages, 18 photos, 9.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18317709&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=25-002%20-%20Materials%20Lab%20Factual%20Report%20(ERA24LA255)-Rel.pdf - Evidence control form (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 143 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20035267&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Evidence%20Control%20Form-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.