Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Somerset Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Somerville, New Jersey 07921
Tuesady, October 15, 2013 12:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that she departed from runway 26, and flew over a local golf course, then turned to return to the departure airport where she entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 26, flying between 75 and 80 knots. She descended to 800 feet and prior to turning base leg she slowed to between 65 and 70 knots, which she maintained on base and final. She turned onto base leg and descended to 500 feet and at that altitude turned onto final approach for runway 26 slowing at touchdown. She performed a wheel landing a few feet farther along the runway than typical or "a little long" which she described as abeam the western edge of the hangars. The airplane travelled onto a portion of the runway that causes undulations and with aft stick applied after encountering the undulations, she tapped the brakes. The airplane then nosed over. She further reported that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane that caused the nose over, and the area of the runway where the undulations were located also was not the cause of the accident.
Various video recordings depicted the approach and nose-over sequence; however, the actual touchdown point was not captured.
An individual at the accident airport provided a reference for where the airplane came to rest, which was located before a diagonal line that is visible in a Google Earth image.
Plotting on Google Earth of the pilot reported touchdown point indicates that position was located about 800 down the 2,200 foot long grass runway, which has the west 500 feet described as being unsuitable for takeoff or landing due to uneven surface. Therefore, the pilot reported touchdown point occurred nearly halfway down the usable length of runway. Although the exact location where the airplane came to rest was not documented, based on video recording, that was located about 500 feet from the pilot reported touchdown point.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while applying wheel brakes during landing roll resulting in the airplane nosing over.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/15/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1255 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Somerville |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 07921 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403734N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0744013W |
| Event Location Airport | Somerset Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SMQ |
| 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 | 105 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SMQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 105 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3700 |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.17 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KSMQ 151653Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT037 22/12 A3017 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32311 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Somerset Airport |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2014 3:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N62XX |
| NTSB Number | ERA14CA012 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CLASSIC AIRCRAFT CORP |
| Aircraft Model | WACO YMF |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | NO SERIES |
| Aircraft Serial Number | F5-027 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2770 |
| 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 | Mar 15 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 583 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SINGH MEERA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | FAR HILLS |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 079312609 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SINGH MEERA |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | FAR HILLS |
| Operator State | NJ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 079312609 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SMQ |
| Departure City | Somerville |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1240 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | SMQ |
| Destination City | Somerville |
| Destination State | NJ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2014 3:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 2200 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |