Cessna 140A accident near Newburgh, New York, April 26, 2013
On April 26, 2013 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 140A, registered N5314C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Newburgh, New York (Stewart International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 directional control when the brakes bound and a subsequent ground loop. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance of the brakes by the pilot/owner.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2013 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Newburgh, New York · Stewart International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N5314C · no longer on the register · serial 15434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing, the pilot/owner adjusted for the left crosswind until the airplane touched down on the runway. He applied the left brake and rudder to maintain directional control during roll, but the left brake "seemed to lock up," and the airplane ground-looped left. The right tire separated from the right landing gear wheel and burst. A review of the airplane maintenance records revealed that, during the most recent owner-assisted annual inspection, the left-side brake caliper was found seized. It was removed, cleaned, lubricated, reinstalled by the owner, operationally checked, and found to be in airworthy condition. An unsupervised postaccident examination of the left wheel and brake assembly by the owner revealed that the wheel and tire would rotate with some resistance, that the caliper slides were rusty, and that the lubrication applied during the annual inspection did not completely allow the calipers to reliably move freely, which resulted in the brake binding on the final roll.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 245 hours in all; 3,534 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 245 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 8, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,243 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 2013; 15 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C90 SERIES (piston); 110 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWF Newburgh NY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SWF Newburgh NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 11,817 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from SWF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.