# NTSB NYC02LA195: Paiement Rans S-12, N7011Y, Mercer, ME, September 24, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 24, 2002, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Mercer, ME - Coordinates: 44.674999, -69.963607 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.6750&lon=-69.9636&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-05 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55756 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC02LA195 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55756/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA195 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper in-flight decision, and failure to maintain adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with a wire during a low altitude flight. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, cruise - lack of certification, pilot in command - object - wire,static - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The accident pilot was accompanied by a friend, who was flying a second airplane. After takeoff, they flew along a river and landed at another airport. The pilot's friend said he flew about 500 feet above the ground in the vicinity of the river, while the accident pilot was "flying literally on the river." They then departed the airport and flew back over the river. The pilot's friend lost sight of the accident pilot and later observed the accident airplane suspended in a cable over the river. The airplane struck the middle of, and became entangled in a United States Geological Survey cable, which was about 20 to 25 feet above the river and about 3 miles west-southwest of the departure airport. The pilot's friend said that the accident pilot was aware of the cable because they had talked about it during a previous flight along the river. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The pilot had purchased the homebuilt airplane about two months prior to the accident. A check of the Federal Aviation Administration Airman database for the accident pilot did not reveal any pilot or medical certificate information. ## Factual narrative On September 24, 2002, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Rans S-12, N7011Y, was substantially damaged when it struck a cable while in cruise flight near Mercer, Maine. The pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The accident pilot was accompanied by a friend, who was flying a second airplane. According to the pilot's friend, they departed Bowman Field in Livermore Falls, Maine, and flew to the Central Maine Airport (OWK) in Norridgewock, Maine. The pilot's friend said they flew along the Sandy River, and he flew about 500 feet above the ground in the vicinity the river, while the accident pilot was "flying literally on the river." They landed at OWK, and departed without shutting the engines down. After takeoff they flew back over the river, toward Farmington, Maine. The pilot's friend last observed the accident airplane over the river, about a half mile from OWK. After landing in Farmington, the pilot's friend waited for the accident pilot and when the pilot did not arrive, he flew back to OWK. He then departed OWK, and flew 200 feet over the Sandy River, searching for the pilot's airplane. He observed the airplane suspended in a cable over the river. The airplane struck the middle of, and became entangled in a United States Geological Survey cable, which was about 20 to 25 feet above the river and about 3 miles west-southwest of OWK. Additionally, the pilot's friend said that the accident pilot was aware of the cable because they had talked about it during a previous flight along the river. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The inspector noted that the engine rotated freely, and evidence of rotation was observed on the propeller. Additionally, a strong smell of fuel was present at the accident site. The pilot had purchased the airplane about two months prior to the accident. A check of the FAA Airman database for the accident pilot did not reveal any pilot or medical certificate information. The pilot's friend estimated that the accident pilot had flown about 20 "solo" hours in the accident airplane. The weather reported at an airport about 16 miles southeast of the accident site, at 1455, included a visibility of 9 miles, clear skies, and winds from 290 degrees at 3 knots. An autopsy was performed on the pilot, on September 25, 2002, by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Augusta, Maine. Toxicological testing performed on the pilot by the FAA Toxicology Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was positive for tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid, an inactive metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (the major active component of marihuana). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7011Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7011Y-2003-06-11), registration cancelled 2003-06-11, S/N 1092309, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Paiement Rans S-12 - Registry model: [Paiement Thomas RANS S-12 AIRAILE](https://openairdocs.org/model/paiement-thomas-rans-s-12-airaile) (registry code 05623DH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1092309 - Airframe hours: 585 - Engines: Rotax 503 50 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Daniel Blake - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: OWK, NORRIDGEWOCK, ME - Destination: NONE, Farmington, ME ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: fatal; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 3 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: WVL, 17 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020924025999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020924025999A), Sep 24, 2002: Amtr RANSS12, Mercer, MN, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) Pilot and only occupant of N7011Y, an amateur built 1992 paiement thomas rans S-12 airraile, collided with a steel cable that spans the sandy river in… 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. --- 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.