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20120624017129A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Universal Stinson 108 · Cape Elizabeth, ME · June 24, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 24, 2012 · 11:55 local
Place
Cape Elizabeth, ME
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N39443
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA12LA411
Reported as
Universal Stinson 108
Reported engine
Franklin 6A4-150
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
504 total
N39443Registration cancelled Jan 19, 2018 · Universal Stinson 108S/N 108-13 · Built 1946Airframe modelUniversal Stinson 108Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

Pilot declared a mayday due to engine failure while conducting a CFR 91 flight along the coast of Cape Elizabeth, ME (portland head light) he indicated to pwm ATC he wasn't going to make to the airport and or land and was going to land in the ocean. Aircraft landed about 100 yards offshore from the lighthouse. According to a food vendor at the lighthouse who ran to the waters edge, saw the aircraft nose down in the water with no signs of people around the aircraft. The vendor yelled to another vendor to call 911, at that moment he saw one head come up to the surface. The vendor yelled out to the pilot and asked if anybody else was onboard and the vendor thinks he heard the pilot say "no, but I'm hurt" a helicopter working in the area responded to scene and threw the pilot a life jacket. According to the helicopter pilot's statement it appeared the pilot put on the floatation device, but did not inflate the vest. The pilot was not able to stay afloat according to witnesses. In the mean time a pleasure boater and paddle boarders responded along with sea tow. They retrieved the pilot and started performing cpr and transported the pilot to the beach and transferred to emergency personnel. End

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DECLARED A MAYDAY DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE WHILE CONDUCTING A CFR 91 FLIGHT ALONG THE COAST OF CAPE ELIZABETH, ME (PORTLAND HEAD LIGHT) HE INDICATED TO PWM ATC HE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE TO THE AIRPORT AND OR LAND AND WAS GOING TO LAND IN THE OCEAN. AIRCRAFT LANDED ABOUT 100 YARDS OFFSHORE FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE. ACCORDING TO A FOOD VENDOR AT THE LIGHTHOUSE WHO RAN TO THE WATERS EDGE, SAW THE AIRCRAFT NOSE DOWN IN THE WATER WITH NO SIGNS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. THE VENDOR YELLED TO ANOTHER VENDOR TO CALL 911, AT THAT MOMENT HE SAW ONE HEAD COME UP TO THE SURFACE. THE VENDOR YELLED OUT TO THE PILOT AND ASKED IF ANYBODY ELSE WAS ONBOARD AND THE VENDOR THINKS HE HEARD THE PILOT SAY "NO, BUT I'M HURT" A HELICOPTER WORKING IN THE AREA RESPONDED TO SCENE AND THREW THE PILOT A LIFE JACKET. ACCORDING TO THE HELICOPTER PILOT'S STATEMENT IT APPEARED THE PILOT PUT ON THE FLOATATION DEVICE, BUT DID NOT INFLATE THE VEST. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY AFLOAT ACCORDING TO WITNESSES. IN THE MEAN TIME A PLEASURE BOATER AND PADDLE BOARDERS RESPONDED ALONG WITH SEA TOW. THEY RETRIEVED THE PILOT AND STARTED PERFORMING CPR AND TRANSPORTED THE PILOT TO THE BEACH AND TRANSFERRED TO EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. END

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 ERA12LA411Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportPortland, MEA fatigue failure of the No. 3 piston skirt, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and the subsequent ditching in the ocean.Jun 24, 2012 · Substantial damage