Plattsburgh International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plattsburgh, New York 12903
Sunday, April 12, 2009 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot, seated in the left seat, was performing touch-and-go practice in the tailwheel-equipped airplane and had just performed a short-field landing and takeoff. Upon landing again, the pilot began to apply braking to the airplane. The owner/pilot-rated passenger, seated in the right seat, felt the "tail coming off the ground" and applied full back pressure on the control column. As the owner informed the pilot to "get off the brakes," the pilot applied more toe brake pressure, causing the tail of the airplane to rise and the propeller to strike the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing aft attachment point was fractured. Metallurgical examination revealed that the right wing failed in forward bending due to an overstress event; the most likely source of the overstress was the propeller strike.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper application of brakes during the landing rollout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Plattsburgh
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12903
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 443902N
Event Location Longitude 0732803W
Event Location Airport Plattsburgh International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PBG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 234
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PBK
Elevation of weather observation facility 234
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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) 27091
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2010 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N258PA
NTSB Number ERA09LA244
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 DE HAVILLAND
Aircraft Model DHC2
Aircraft Series Identifier III
Aircraft Serial Number 1690TB58
Certified Max Gross Weight 5370
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 2
Passenger Seats 5
Total number of seats on the aircraft 9
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 15000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Clemente Motor Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 Silverside Rd, Suite 105
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Clemente Motor Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3511 Silverside Rd, Suite 105
Operator City Wilmington
Operator State DE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 19810
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LKP
Departure City Lake Placid
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PBG
Destination City Plattsburgh
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 20 2010 2:11PM
User who most recently changed record coxp
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 11758
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --