# NTSB ERA26LA089: Alon A-2A, N818SW, Winter Haven, FL, December 19, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: December 19, 2025, 09:18 local (14:18 UTC)
- Place: Winter Haven, FL
- Coordinates: 28.066326, -81.747688 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0663&lon=-81.7477&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA / FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202275
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA089
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202275/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA089

## Preliminary report

On December 19, 2025, about 0918 EST, an Alon A-2A, N818SW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Winter Haven Regional Airport (GIF), Winter Haven, Florida. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14?Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that he experienced no issues with the rudder control system while taxiing prior to departure. After takeoff the flight proceeded uneventfully to GIF with no rudder flight control issues in-flight. The airplane was landed smoothly in the first 200 ft of the runway and during the landing roll he applied right rudder to maintain runway centerline and slightly overcorrected, causing him to apply left rudder input. He heard a “pop” sound, and after that point the left rudder acted like, “it was loose and went all the way in.” The airplane began veering to the left which he could not correct with right rudder. At that point he pulled the mixture control, and turned the magneto switch and electrical systems off. The airplane went off the runway onto grass, impacted a sign with the tie down ring of the left wing damaging the left-wing main spar, then came to rest on a taxiway.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333) (defining event); cases with it: [Alon A-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=0540104), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Alon A-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0540104), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Alon A-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0540104), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Alon A-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=0540104), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N818SW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N818SW), registered now, S/N B-279, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ALON A-2A (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Alon A-2A](https://openairdocs.org/model/alon-a-2a) (registry code 0540104) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: B-279
- Year built: 1968
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: FMY, Fort Myers, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: GIF, Winter Haven Rgnl, runway 23, 5,005 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft broken
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: KGIF
- METAR: KGIF 191353Z AUTO 23006KT 10SM BKN012 23/22 A3005 RMK AO1 SLP172 T02280222

## 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 20251219020469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251219020469A), Dec 19, 2025: Alon A-2A, Winter Haven, FL, Substantial damage. 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”…

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.

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