Sierra E5A REPLICA N44062

Summary

On 12 September 2009 at about 19:30 local time, a Sierra E5A REPLICA registered N44062, operated by Thomas A Pell, was involved in an accident near Port Huron, Michigan, 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

12 September 2009 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Huron, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

St. Clair County Municipal (PHN)

Coordinates

42.9108, -82.5286

Aircraft

Sierra E5A REPLICA

Registration

N44062

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas A Pell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Port Huron → Port Huron

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA583

Nobody was injured.

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

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.