Amateur-built CHALLENGER accident near Waymart, Pennsylvania, July 5, 2009
On July 5, 2009 at about 9:55 pm local time, a amateur-built CHALLENGER, registered N10232, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Waymart, Pennsylvania (Private Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during approach to land resulting in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2009 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Waymart, Pennsylvania · Private Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER
- Registration
- N10232 · registry record · serial CH2 0794 CW 11892
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from a private field and flew in the local area for approximately one hour. As he returned to the field for landing, he flew "right above stall speed" on final approach. The pilot reported that he "neglected to monitor [the airplane's] airspeed" and the airplane stalled during the landing flare. The airplane then dropped suddenly and impacted the ground just prior to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its fuselage, and no mechanical anomalies were identified.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 366 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 2, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Waymart PA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Waymart PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from AVP, 27 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA09CA381.