Piper PA-12 accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey, August 18, 2009
On August 18, 2009 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N7556H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mount Holly, New Jersey (South Jersey Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of directional control during landing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2009 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Holly, New Jersey · South Jersey Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N7556H · no longer on the register · serial 12-423
- 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 after he lowered the tailwheel to the runway on landing, the airplane became "squirrely" and veered to the left. He attempted to correct the trajectory with the application of "full left rudder and brake," but the airplane departed the dry paved surface of the 50-foot-wide runway and ground-looped in the grass on the left side of the runway. The pilot believed that the non-pilot-rated passenger had inadvertently interfered with the airplane controls, but the passenger denied any interference. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and stated that the tailwheel centering mechanism was "weak," and could "easily" be moved out of the centered position. An FAA-conducted functional check of the left brake system determined that the system operated normally. The right braking system was damaged in the accident, which precluded a functional check, but the FAA inspector reported that a visual check did not reveal any preaccident failures.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command; 2,470 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 5, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VAY Mount Holly NJ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: VAY Mount Holly NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,911 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from VAY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.