- Date
- November 24, 1994, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Glenburn, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N112KFPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941124048399A
- Case key
- 38906
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 pilot's (1) improper decision to initiate a takeoff with ice on the wing.
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
During prelight, the pilot noticed ice on the right wing. He said the leading edge and forward 18 inches of the wing were clear of ice. He did not remove the ice and initiated a takeoff. The right wing would not come up with full left aileron and the airplane drifted right of the runway. The pilot did not abort the takeoff until after the airplane had drifted right of the runway and the the right wing struck a pole. When the power was retarded the airplane settled into birch trees and a raspberry bog.
Factual narrative
On November 24, 1994, at 1130 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-18-150, N112KF, piloted by Mr. George Higgins, of Presque Isle, Maine, struck trees while taking off from a private airstrip at Lucky's Landing, Glenburn, Maine. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. No flight plan had been filed for the flight which operated under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot was departing from a small grass airport that is next to the Lucky's Landing seaplane base, Glenburn.
In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated:
On pre flight ice was noted on right wing, but none closer than 18 inches from leading edge.
Made soft field takeoff - right wing did not come up with full left aileron - there fore plane turned to right side of runway - right wing tip struck a bird house on a 6 foot pole - throttle closed - plane was drawn into raspberry bushes and both wings impacted small white birch trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N112KF
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7809134
- Airframe hours
- 3,196
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George Higgins
- Registered owner
- Kendra Farris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 6, 1994 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- PQI · Presque Isle, ME
- Airport
- NONE · Lucky Landing, runway 36, 1,500 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 66
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,800 total · 200 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.