# Accident 19790723021629A: Piper PA18, Spruce Head, ME, July 23, 1979

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 1979, 08:45 local time
- Place: Spruce Head, ME
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.0115° N, 69.1328° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Spruce Head, ME, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0115&lon=-69.1328&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3194Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3194Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C90 series (registry code 17009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 259 total, 129 in this make and model, 87 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC79DNC38](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC79DNC38) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790723021629A

## Narrative

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

ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. FLOAT HIT SEA SWELL AFTER LIFTOFF. BROKE OFF FLOAT. ACFT HIT WATER.

## 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 NYC79DNC38](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC79DNC38), Jul 23, 1979: Piper PA-18 (N3194Z), Spruce Head, ME, substantial damage

## Other reports on N3194Z (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20031109028819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031109028819A), Nov 9, 2003: Piper PA18 (N3194Z), Westfield, MA, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft landed at Westfield, MA runway 20. After touch down and on roll out pilot stated a gust of wind lifted left wing causing the right wing to…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
