Myer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milford, Pennsylvania 18337
Friday, August 7, 2009 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was taking off from a 2,500-foot long by 50-foot wide turf runway, oriented on a northerly heading, when the airplane "became airborne early due to a dip in the runway." According to the pilot, he experienced a "slight left crosswind" and "engine torque," and the airplane began drifting to the left. The left wingtip impacted a tree, and the airplane came to rest in trees on the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Neither the pilot nor a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, reported any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies. Details regarding the pilot's experience operating on turf runways, and particularly the accident airport, could not be obtained despite numerous attempts. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report Form, the pilot reported the accident airport's runway width as 50 feet. This was confirmed by analysis of aerial photographs of the airport, which also depicted the distance between trees on either side of the runway as varying between 77 feet and 56 feet. However, records maintained by the FAA listed the runway as 200 feet wide. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 16 nautical miles southeast of the accident location, reported winds from 280 degrees at 7 knots around the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control during takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/2009
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Milford
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18337
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412102N
Event Location Longitude 0745535W
Event Location Airport Myer Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6PA0
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 136
Weather Observation Facility ID FWN
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26185
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Region Operations
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 20 2009 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9432X
NTSB Number ERA09CA449
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier R
Aircraft Serial Number 18268524
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Tab Air Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Moultonboro
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03254
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Tab Air Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Moultonboro
Operator State NH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 03254
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 6PA0
Departure City Milford
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OLE
Destination City Olean
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 20 2009 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --