Sky Manor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittstown, New Jersey 08867
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 13:53 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he checked the windsock prior to landing and that the winds were "pretty much down the runway." After touchdown, with the engine at idle power, the left wing "lifted" and the airplane began a turn to the right that could not be corrected with rudder and aileron. The pilot added power to abort the landing, which corrected the turning tendency. The propeller and nose landing gear then struck a runway light stanchion and then the ground. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, striking the left wing tip and collapsing the left gear. The winds reported at two different airports near the landing site ranged from between 20 to 50 degrees with speeds between 11 and 15 knots, gusting to 18 to 21 knots. The pilot reported that "The combination of a light aircraft, high wing, and a very narrow/tight landing gear causes a different [landing] characteristic and one that cannot be managed lightly."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/2009
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1353
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Pittstown
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08867
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403335N
Event Location Longitude 0745843W
Event Location Airport Sky Manor Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N40
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 560
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SMQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 105
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KSMQ 181753Z AUTO 20011G18KT 10SM CLR 16/06
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26641
NTSB Notification Source Allentown FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 19 2010 10:20AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N471CT
NTSB Number ERA09LA204
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Flight Design GMBH
Aircraft Model CTLS
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 08 03 04
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 19 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 49
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Maresco International Corp
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Alpha
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08865
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Dudley H. Hulse
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Milford
Operator State NJ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 08848
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code N40
Departure City Pittstown
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N40
Destination City Pittstown
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 19 2010 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --