- Date
- July 1, 1989, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Newport, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N43562Taylorcraft BC-12D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890701018969A
- Case key
- 36427
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The aircraft fuel supply was contaminated by water and the pilot's inadequate preflight.
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
The pilot-in-command was departing a private airstrip. Just after takeoff, about 25 to 30 feet above the ground, the engine lost power suddenly. The pilot checked the fuel shutoff to make sure it was on and he attempted to restart the engine by using the primer. The engine did not restart and the pilot landed the airplane straight ahead into the trees. The subsequent investigation revealed that the airplane's gascolater was one-third full of water and a subsequent engine run showed no mechanical irregularities.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N43562
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC-12D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7221
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alton E. Cianchette
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1989 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Newport, ME
- Destination
- 2B7 · Pittsfield, ME
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 110 in this make and model · 196 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.