Piper PA-30 accident near Lakeville, New York, February 8, 2009
On February 8, 2009 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N10JR, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Lakeville, New York (Lakeville 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 aircraft control following a loss of engine power on the left engine for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2009 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeville, New York · Lakeville Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N10JR · registry record · serial 30-39
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot initially reported that he was attempting to take off from a soft turf runway. About 30 feet above ground level, the left engine lost power, restarted on its own, and then lost power again. The airplane then contacted the runway, damaging both wings and the left main and nose landing gears. In a written statement, the pilot stated that he "was under pressure to get the airplane off (away) from that field" and that he could feel the landing gear "sinking into the frost." Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction and the reason for loss of engine power on the left engine could not be determined.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,716 hours in all; 3,676 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,569 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2008; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NY15 Lakeville NY at 4:15 pm
- Destination: NY15 Lakeville NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from ROC, 17 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 ERA09LA158.