# Accident 20260909012849A: North American HARVARD III, Pottstown, PA, September 9, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 9, 2026, 19:11 local time
- Place: Pottstown, PA
- Airport: Heritage Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2396° N, 75.5567° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2396&lon=-75.5567&mi=10
- Aircraft: N407EZ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N407EZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: North American HARVARD III (registry code 6400447, https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-harvard-iii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN HARVARD III
- Reported engine: P&W R1340 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,643 total, 251 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA334) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260909012849A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON A STABLE FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 28 WITH FULL FLAPS, AND THAT HE WAS PLANNING A WHEEL LANDING AS LANDING WAS INTO THE SETTING SUN.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW OVER THE RUNWAY WHEN AN UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED DECENT BOUNCED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY.  DURING THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE LEFT.  PILOT STATED THAT THE CONTROL INPUTS WERE INEFFECTIVE AT TURNING THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE RIGHT, SO HE PUSHED THE RIGHT BRAKE HARD.  THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TOWARD THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE TAIL STARTED TO RISE.  THE PILOT RELEASED THE BRAKE, BUT THE TAIL CONTINUED TO RISE UNTIL THE PROP STRUCK THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER IN THE GRASS TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA26LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA334), Sep 9, 2026: North American Harvard III (N407EZ), Sanatoga, PA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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