Westchester County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Plains, New York 10604
Monday, August 17, 2009 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the approach was “on speed,” but upon initial touchdown the airplane bounced. The airplane then landed “firm” and immediately veered off the runway surface. Structural damage to the fuselage resulted. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that a section of the right main landing gear structure had failed. Postaccident examination of the fracture surface, which was adjacent to a weld line, revealed evidence of a preexisting crack. There was differential rusting on the crack surface indicative of progressive crack extension. The airplane had recently undergone an annual inspection, however the FAA inspector reported that the fracture surface could not be seen without disassembly of the landing gear.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the right main landing gear due to a preexisting crack adjacent to a weld line.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/2009
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City White Plains
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10604
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410401N
Event Location Longitude 0734227W
Event Location Airport Westchester County
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HPN
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 439
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HPN
Elevation of weather observation facility 439
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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) 26609
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 12 2010 1:36PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9467A
NTSB Number ERA09LA467
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 140A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15469
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Jul 31 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 2500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name ZABER ELI D
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 WIBLING RD DANBURY ARPT
Aircraft Owner City DANBURY
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06810
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ZABER ELI D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1 WIBLING RD DANBURY ARPT
Operator City DANBURY
Operator State CT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 06810
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 HTO
Departure City East Hampton
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HPN
Destination City White Plains
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 12 2010 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 6548
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --