Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the instructor's delayed remedial action.
NTSB analysis
The certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed his student to simulate a soft-field takeoff. The student began the takeoff roll, rotated, and momentarily got the airplane into ground effect. The main landing gear then settled back onto the runway, the airplane rolled and yawed to the right, and then collided with a ditch. The CFI had never demonstrated the accident maneuver to the student nor did he provide any formal ground instruction on its execution. There was no formal exchange of aircraft control between the student and CFI, and the student remained on the controls throughout the accident sequence as the CFI tried to effect a recovery. Neither the CFI nor student reported any flight control anomalies or malfunctions and examination of the wreckage did not reveal any. A weather observation at the accident airport about the time of the accident indicated that the wind was calm.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09LA189 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 7, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Montauk, New York
- Nearest airport
- Montauk Airport (MTP)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cirrus Design Corp SR22
- N-number
- N574PG
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.