St. Clair County Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Port Huron, Michigan 48074
Saturday, September 12, 2009 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he returned to the traffic pattern after a 45-minute flight in the amateur-built, World War I replica airplane. During the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced once and veered to the left. The pilot reported that “the aircraft traveled sideway for 50 – 75 feet.” The landing gear “folded” and the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that he had about 10 hours of flight time in the airplane, and that the airplane was a “delight to fly” but the landings were always “tricky.” The inspection of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/12/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Port Huron
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48074
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 425439N
Event Location Longitude 0823143W
Event Location Airport St. Clair County Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHN
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 26193
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2009 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dinc
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44062
NTSB Number CEN09CA583
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIERRA
Aircraft Model E5A Replica
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 98507
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Thomas A Pell
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City St. Clair
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Thomas A Pell
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City St. Clair
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PHN
Departure City Port Huron
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PHN
Destination City Port Huron
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 8 2009 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 04
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --