Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Penobscot, Maine 04476
Wednesday, July 2, 1997 20:36 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and passengers were returning home from a sightseeing flight, when a witness observed the airplane in a sharp right turn before it descended, impacted and sank in about 70 feet of water. Search efforts located some airplane parts including the right main landing gear, an airplane seat with the N number written on the back of the seat, and pieces of insulation. The main wreckage was not recovered. The pilot had obtained an abbreviated weather briefing earlier in the day, and said that the weather 'looked fine'. He was not instrument rated, and according to the airport manager, had very little instrument experience. Witnesses reported fog in the area at the time of the accident. According to the closest weather observation station, the reported ceiling was 900 feet overcast.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's flight into adverse weather conditions, which resulted in the loss of control. Factors relating to the accident were the fog and the pilot's lack of an instrument rating.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2036
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PENOBSCOT
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04476
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2035 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID BHB
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1902
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3896T
NTSB Number IAD97FA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28R-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-30226
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH W. COMFORT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 412
Aircraft Owner City PITTSFIELD
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04967
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BOB HART
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 125
Operator City PITTSFIELD
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 04967
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City STONINGTON
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2B7
Destination City PITTSFIELD
Destination State ME
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --