Rock Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15084
Tuesady, July 14, 2009 13:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 17, the pilot was advised over the airport traffic frequency that winds were favoring runway 35. The pilot elected to continue the approach to runway 17, since he could "clearly see the wind sock," which was indicating a "direct crosswind." During the landing flare, the pilot encountered an "updraft" and landed approximately "half way" down the 3,500-foot- long runway. Upon touchdown, he retracted the wing flaps, applied "very strong" pressure on the brakes, and made "shallow turns" in an attempt to stop the airplane. The airplane ran off the end of the runway, and came to rest in a ditch approximately 10 to 20 feet beyond the runway edge. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane after the accident reported that it sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall, and exhibited extensive wrinkling and buckling of the fuselage, particularly at the wing roots. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting station, located 12 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, reported wind direction variable between 280 degrees and 350 degrees at 7 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he should have landed on runway 35, since there were "several hills" on the approach to runway 17, and "turbulence and updrafts made speed control and altitude control difficult." In addition, runway 17 had a "downhill slope."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/14/2009
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Pittsburgh
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15084
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403612N
Event Location Longitude 0794934w
Event Location Airport Rock Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9GI
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 1063
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1315 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID BTP
Elevation of weather observation facility 1248
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25924
NTSB Notification Source AGC FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2009 4:38PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21NC
NTSB Number ERA09CA402
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T337
Aircraft Series Identifier D
Aircraft Serial Number 337-1022
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 14 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2456
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Bosh Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Huntsville
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35803
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name James H Boschma
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Huntsville
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 35803
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 No
Departure Airport Code 3M5
Departure City Brownsboro
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 9GI
Destination City Pittsburgh
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 24 2009 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record muzd
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3550
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --