Belfast Municiple Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belfast, Maine 04915
Saturday, March 4, 1995 15:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT REPORT THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 15, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY'S CENTERLINE. THE STUDENT PILOT DECIDED TO GO AROUND. DURING THE GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FOUR FOOT SNOWBANK WHICH RAN ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WIND HAD BEEN OUT OF THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 8 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A GUST OUT OF THE WEST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions. A related factor was the presence of high snowbanks along the sides of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BELFAST
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04915
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BELFAST MUNICIPLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BST
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 180
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2051 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 21
Weather Observation Facility ID BGR
Elevation of weather observation facility 192
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 557
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5554Z
NTSB Number BFO95LA030
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-108
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-108
Aircraft Serial Number 22-9347
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL E. MUIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. #7 P.O. BOX 128
Aircraft Owner City BROOKS
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04921
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BST
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --