Accident Details
On December 19, 2025, at approximately 0918 Eastern Standard Time, an Alon A-2A aircraft, registration N818SW, was substantially damaged in an accident at Winter Haven Regional Airport (GIF), Winter Haven, Florida. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, the rudder control system functioned normally during taxi before departure. The flight to Winter Haven was uneventful, with no rudder flight control issues encountered in-flight. The pilot landed smoothly within the first 200 feet of the runway. During the landing roll, he applied right rudder to maintain the runway centerline and slightly overcorrected, prompting a left rudder input. At that moment, he heard a "pop" sound. Subsequently, the left rudder pedal felt loose and traveled fully inward. The airplane began veering left, and the pilot could not correct it with right rudder.
Emergency Actions and Damage
The pilot then pulled the mixture control and turned off the magneto switch and electrical systems. The airplane departed the runway onto grass, where the tie-down ring on the left wing struck a sign, damaging the left-wing main spar. The aircraft came to rest on a taxiway. The extent of damage was substantial, but no injuries occurred.