Amateur-built P2002 SIER accident near Enterprise, Alabama, September 23, 2009
On September 23, 2009 at about 9:15 pm local time, a amateur-built P2002 SIER, registered N246TS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Enterprise, Alabama (Enterprise Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2009 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Enterprise, Alabama · Enterprise Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built P2002 SIER
- Registration
- N246TS · registry record · serial 240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were practicing takeoffs and landings for several hours prior to taking a break for lunch. After returning to the airplane and conducting several more takeoffs and landings, the CFI stated that he "felt confident and comfortable" in allowing the student to make 3 solo takeoffs and full-stop landings. The student stated that, during the rollout of the second landing, the airplane "darted to the left." He applied "hard" right rudder to correct, but the airplane continued towards the left. The student then applied the handbrake, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway into an area of heavy brush. The CFI, who witnessed the accident from the ground, stated that the first landing appeared "very smooth," and "saw no reason to stop [the student] at any point." The CFI further stated that the second takeoff and traffic pattern were "normal." During the second landing, the airplane touched down "about 800 feet down the runway, at which point it seemed to drift to the left." As the airplane continued towards the edge of the runway, the CFI noticed that the brakes were applied "heavily…and the plane ended up going off the left side of the runway." The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, and the right side of the stabilator. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 8 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, reported calm winds about the time of the accident.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › (general) › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 9, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Adcox Imports Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 12J Brewton AL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: EDN Enterprise AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,080 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from LOR, 8 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.