Bradford County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Towanda, Pennsylvania 18848
Monday, July 27, 2009 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the airplane was slightly high on the final approach for landing on the 4,300-foot long by 75-foot wide runway. He retained a slight amount of power for the flare, but the airplane impacted the runway and bounced. The pilot decided to go around after an additional bounce, and he applied full power and retracted the flaps incrementally from full flaps to 30 degrees, then to 15 degrees, and finally to 0 degrees. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a sign, a taxiway light and a runway edge light approximately 2,300 feet beyond the approach threshold. It descended an embankment located approximately 65 feet from the runway centerline and impacted rocks. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane noted damage to the firewall and the left wing. The pilot told the inspector that the airplane functioned normally, with no mechanical problems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane during a go around following a bounced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/2009
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Towanda
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18848
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414424N
Event Location Longitude 0762650W
Event Location Airport Bradford County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N27
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 730
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 145
Weather Observation Facility ID KELM
Elevation of weather observation facility 954
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26186
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 Dec 23 2009 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2980X
NTSB Number ERA09CA425
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17700380
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 9 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 5689
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL E. DION
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City WESTFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01085-3959
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PAUL E. DION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City WESTFIELD
Operator State MA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 01085-3959
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 BAF
Departure City Westfield
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N27
Destination City Towanda
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 23 2009 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --