Accident Details
On June 17, 2024, at 1949 eastern daylight time, a Lockheed 12A airplane, registration N2072, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Georgia. The flight instructor, commercial pilot, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The accident occurred during landing on runway 36 at Seven Lakes Airport (62GA) in Jackson, Georgia. A witness video recorded the landing, which showed the airplane veering off the left side of the runway during the landing roll and subsequently colliding with trees.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination at the site revealed that the airplane came to rest approximately 1,682 feet down runway 36 and about 50 feet from the left side of the runway. The cockpit was crushed aft toward the cabin, with a tree trunk approximately 2 feet in circumference observed inside the cockpit. The instrument panel was buckled around the tree trunk. The pilot, co-pilot, and passenger seats were crushed upward and aft.
All flight control surfaces remained intact, and flight control continuity was traced from the surfaces to the cockpit. The flaps were found extended. The engine throttle controls were in the closed position; the left and right propellers were in the high pitch/decrease rpm position; and the left and right engine mixture controls were in the lean position. The left fuel tank selector was in the OFF position, while the right fuel tank selector was displaced from the panel and its position could not be reliably determined. The carburetor heat controls were in the cold position. The flight control lock was released. The tailwheel lock control lever was found locked, but the locking tab mechanism on the tailwheel assembly was unlocked.
Examination of the main landing gear braking system identified that the steel braided brake line B-nut fitting connecting the right brake caliper to the rigid brake line on the right landing gear strut was finger-tight, with hydraulic fluid observed leaking from the fitting. The corresponding B-nut fitting on the left main landing gear was tight and could not be moved by hand; no fluid leakage was observed from this fitting, but hydraulic fluid residue was present around it.
The airplane was recovered and retained for further examination.