Socata TB 9 accident near Mount Union, Pennsylvania, December 31, 2002
On December 31, 2002 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Socata TB 9, registered N136ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mount Union, Pennsylvania (Huntington County 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 delay in aborting the takeoff. A factor was the soft runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 2002 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Union, Pennsylvania · Huntington County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB 9 · all TB 9s on the register
- Registration
- N136ER · no longer on the register · serial 1526
- 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 he was departing on runway 22, a 3,120-foot long, 80-foot wide, gravel and turf runway. The runway was "soft and soupy," and the airplane did not accelerate properly. The pilot was able to lift two of the landing gear off the runway, but the airplane would not become airborne. The pilot further stated that the accident airplane usually became airborne after a ground roll of about 500 feet, on a paved runway with only one person on board. During the accident takeoff, the wheels didn't begin to break ground until approximately 1,000 beyond the approach end of the runway. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff about 1,600 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. However, the airplane skid on the soft ground, overran the runway at a speed of approximately 35-45 knots and came to rest inverted in a ditch. The pilot added that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,961 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2002; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,337 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MUU Mount Union PA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: THV York PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,120 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from AOO, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.