Tecnam P92 Tail Dragger Suffers Main Landing Gear Collapse While Taxiing at New Garden Airport, Pennsylvania
Why It MattersThe event underlines that light-sport aircraft ground-handling failures sit mainly in the personal flying segment, outside the business jet operations that dominate commercial charter activity.
On September 29, 2026, at about 0945 eastern daylight time, a special light-sport Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam P92 Tail Dragger, registration N575TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The NTSB preliminary report says the pilot had completed one uneventful takeoff and landing on runway 24 at New Garden Airport (N57), then taxied back to begin a second takeoff. Near the beginning of the runway he started a right turn, but the airplane's movement felt unusual, possibly because of a brake issue, and he stopped. He tried to turn right again, the anomaly persisted, and he stopped a second time.
He then decided to turn left toward a runup area, where he planned to shut down the engine and inspect the landing gear. As he began the left turn, both main landing gear folded underneath the fuselage. An FAA inspector found the airplane upright on the taxiway with substantial fuselage damage, consistent with the right main landing gear collapsing first, followed by the left. The right main landing gear strut was retained for further examination.
