Socata TB 9 N136ER

Summary

On 31 December 2002 at about 17:00 local time, a Socata TB 9 registered N136ER was involved in an accident near Mount Union, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 December 2002 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mount Union, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Huntington County Airport (MUU)

Coordinates

40.3181, -77.8761

Aircraft

Socata TB 9

Registration

N136ER

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mount Union → York

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA034

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff. A factor was the soft runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he was departing on runway 22, a 3,120-foot long, 80-foot wide, gravel and turf runway. The runway was "soft and soupy," and the airplane did not accelerate properly. The pilot was able to lift two of the landing gear off the runway, but the airplane would not become airborne. The pilot further stated that the accident airplane usually became airborne after a ground roll of about 500 feet, on a paved runway with only one person on board. During the accident takeoff, the wheels didn't begin to break ground until approximately 1,000 beyond the approach end of the runway. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff about 1,600 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. However, the airplane skid on the soft ground, overran the runway at a speed of approximately 35-45 knots and came to rest inverted in a ditch. The pilot added that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.