Flight Design CTSW accident near Pittstown, New Jersey, March 8, 2011
On March 8, 2011 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Flight Design CTSW, registered N470Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pittstown, New Jersey (Aky Manor Airport). It was an instructional 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
The student pilot's inadequate flare and the certified flight instructor's inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2011 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pittstown, New Jersey · Aky Manor Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design CTSW
- Registration
- N470Q · no longer on the register · serial 07-07-02
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), the purpose of the flight was for the student pilot to practice landings. As the student began to flare for landing, the airspeed decreased and the airplane stalled about 3 to 5 feet above the ground. The airplane impacted the runway hard on the right main landing gear and bounced. The student pilot applied full engine power and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway, traveled up an embankment, and the left wing impacted the ground. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,798 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 6,662 as pilot in command; 3,016 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 176 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 184 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N40 Pittstown NJ at 4:50 pm
- Destination: N40 Pittstown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 2,900 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.51 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SMQ, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.