Merrymeeting Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bowdoinham, Maine 04008
Wednesday, September 8, 1993 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TREES AND CAME TO REST IN THE TREE TOPS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS AND FUEL LINES LEADING TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS RUN AND A FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD LOST TOTAL POWER ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRONICS, SPECIFICALLY, THE ENGINE'S DOUBLE COIL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CHECKED THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRONICS AND A FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BOWDOINHAM
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04008
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MERRYMEETING FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 08B
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 65
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID LEW
Elevation of weather observation facility 288
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1602
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N193CW
NTSB Number BFO93LA166
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 WILSON
Aircraft Model KIT FOX MODEL 4
Aircraft Series Identifier KIT FOX MO
Aircraft Serial Number 1572
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Aug 6 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 15
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. WILSON & C. CUNNINGHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address RFD 21 BOX 3276
Aircraft Owner City BOWDOINHAM
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04008
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES W. CUNNINGHAM
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RFD 2 BOX 3276
Operator City BOWDOINHAM
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 04008
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff
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 14
Runway Length 1948
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --