- Date
- August 30, 1986, 14:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Wilton, ME
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N4641HPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860830042379A
- Case key
- 6962
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses saw the acft go into a nose down attitude prior to crashing into a wooded area near the arpt. Rprtdly, the prop was turning, but no sound was heard from the eng. Subsequently, the acft impacted the gnd in a nose low, inverted attitude. No preimpact mechanical problems were found during the investigation. About 32 miles nw at augusta, ME, the temp & dew point were 72 & 46 deg, respectively. With this condition, serious carb icing was possible; however, the carb heat was found in the heat position, both in the cockpit & at the carb air box. The amount of fuel on board the acft at the time of the accident was not determined, although, it was serviced with 5.5 gal of fuel prior to the flt. The primer was found unlocked and the magneto switch was found in the off position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4641H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17-53
- Airframe hours
- 1,864
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Reynolds Lawrence Ellis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1986 · 41 hours before
- Airport
- ME80 · Meserve Field
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 354 total · 50 in this make and model · 297 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUG, 32 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.