# NTSB ERA26LA083: Icon A5, N601BA, Gulf Shores, AL, December 30, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 30, 2025, 10:54 local (16:54 UTC) - Place: Gulf Shores, AL - Coordinates: 30.289988, -87.668051 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2900&lon=-87.6681&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 21, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202233 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA083 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202233/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202233 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA083 ## Probable cause A nose landing gear collapse during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Icon A5, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=06001A7), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Icon A5, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=06001A7), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and the flight instructor onboard the amphibious airplane were conducting a normal landing to a paved runway. The pilots reviewed the before landing checklist and confirmed that the landing gear was down and locked utilizing the position switch, indicator light, and visually. Once the airplane touched down, the nose landing gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Following the accident, the pilot did not respond to multiple attempts to coordinate an examination of the airplane or facilitate an interview of the maintenance personnel who examined the airplane after the accident. The pilot did provide a video that depicted maintenance personnel narrating and showing the landing gear handle in the down position while the landing gear actuator switch was in the up position and the corresponding nose landing gear was in the up position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N601BA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N601BA), registered now, S/N 00217, built 2024 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ICON AIRCRAFT INC A5 - Registry model: [Icon A5](https://openairdocs.org/model/icon-a5) (registry code 06001A7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912 IS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-is-series) (registry code 55593, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 00217 - Year built: 2024 - Airframe hours: 299 - Engines: ROTAX 912 IS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aeromarine Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 1, 2025, 99 hours before - Departed: DTS, Destin, FL - Destination: JKA, Gulf Shores, AL - Airport: JKA, Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Fld, runway 17/35, 3,596 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 50; injuries: none; student; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 235 total, 159 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 45; injuries: none; private, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 1, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,300 total, 0 in this make and model, 4,200 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 11 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.26 inHg - Observed at: JKA - METAR: METAR KJKA 301855Z 36011G22KT 330V030 10SM CLR 10/M07 A3026 ## 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 20251230020109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251230020109A), Dec 30, 2025: Icon Aircraft Inc A5, Gulf Shores, AL, Substantial damage. Pilot was preparing for a normal landing on runway 35 at kjka. Pilot that the gear was down and locked via the switch, the indicator light, and visually. Upon… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202233. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19876021&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� pilot contact attempts (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20345385&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20attempted%20contact_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 795 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19876334&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� summary of landing gear video (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20153786&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Video%20Summary%20_Redacted-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.