Siai Marchetti SM-1019B accident near Dade City, Florida, March 29, 2009
On March 29, 2009 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Siai Marchetti SM-1019B, registered N273LH, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Dade City, Florida (Roma Dade City Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2009 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dade City, Florida · Roma Dade City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai Marchetti SM-1019B B
- Registration
- N273LH · registry record · serial 6
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was departing east from a 900-foot-long by 50-foot-wide private turf runway. When the airplane was about 20 feet above the ground, a "significant" wind gust pushed the airplane left, and its left wing contacted a tree branch and spun the airplane around. The airplane incurred damage to both wings and the engine separated from the airframe. Reported winds in the vicinity, about the time of the accident, were from the west at 13 knots. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated that he should have remained south of the runway centerline as the predominant winds are southerly. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,584 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 4,584 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2008; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: None Dade City FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: None Dade City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from BKV, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.