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20090801048289A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Boeing A75N1(PT17) · Livermore Falls, ME · August 1, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 1, 2009 · 08:45 local
Place
Livermore Falls, ME
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N49778
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA09LA433
Reported as
Boeing A75N1(PT17)
Reported engine
Lycoming R680
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,300 total160 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days
N49778Registered now · Boeing A75N1(PT17)S/N 75-3009Airframe modelBoeing A75N1(PT17)Engine modelLycoming R680Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Airman was departing bowman field (B10) in Livermore Falls, ME. During latter stages of takeoff roll and climbout airman noted that engine was not producing full power and engine was slowly losing power. With insufficient altitude to make return to airport and limited choices to land, airman elected to settle into pine trees northwest of airport. Aircraft struck large pine trees and subsequenly settled to ground in a mostly level attitude with cabin/fuselage intact. No injuries and no post impact fire. Following recovery of wreckage to maintenance hangar, a cursory inspection of fuel system and general aircraft was conducted. The airman stated that during his engine runup the aircraft was positioned on wet grass which had significant amount of standing water in surrounding area. With a relatively high humidity and high temperature it is believed that the engine may have experienced a condition of carburator icing that went undetected. Physical examination of fuel system failed to reveal an abnormalities. Aircraft was being operated with automotive fuel which did not contain ethanol. Owner to conduct further inspection of carburator once aircraft has been released.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN WAS DEPARTING BOWMAN FIELD (B10) IN LIVERMORE FALLS, ME. DURING LATTER STAGES OF TAKEOFF ROLL AND CLIMBOUT AIRMAN NOTED THAT ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER AND ENGINE WAS SLOWLY LOSING POWER. WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE RETURN TO AIRPORT AND LIMITED CHOICES TO LAND, AIRMAN ELECTED TO SETTLE INTO PINE TREES NORTHWEST OF AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT STRUCK LARGE PINE TREES AND SUBSEQUENLY SETTLED TO GROUND IN A MOSTLY LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH CABIN/FUSELAGE INTACT. NO INJURIES AND NO POST IMPACT FIRE. FOLLOWING RECOVERY OF WRECKAGE TO MAINTENANCE HANGAR, A CURSORY INSPECTION OF FUEL SYSTEM AND GENERAL AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTED. THE AIRMAN STATED THAT DURING HIS ENGINE RUNUP THE AIRCRAFT WAS POSITIONED ON WET GRASS WHICH HAD SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STANDING WATER IN SURROUNDING AREA. WITH A RELATIVELY HIGH HUMIDITY AND HIGH TEMPERATURE IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE ENGINE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED A CONDITION OF CARBURATOR ICING THAT WENT UNDETECTED. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF FUEL SYSTEM FAILED TO REVEAL AN ABNORMALITIES. AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WHICH DID NOT CONTAIN ETHANOL. OWNER TO CONDUCT FURTHER INSPECTION OF CARBURATOR ONCE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN RELEASED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA09LA433Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLivermore Falls, MEA loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Aug 1, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N49778 · 1

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

Incident 19840908066579IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Greenville, MEPilot failed to correct for gusts on landing. Aircraft swerved off runway and struck tail of N92918 airplane.Sep 8, 1984 · Minor damage