Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saddle Island, Maine 04841
Tuesady, August 24, 1999 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness who was located on a vessel in the water observed the airplane flying in a northerly direction, parallel a shoreline, about 500 feet above the water. About 1 minute later the witness observed the airplane on a southerly heading. The airplane was 'low and slow, about tree top level.' As the airplane passed by, 'the nose came up and the tail went down.' The tail struck a tree and the airplane veered to the left. The edge of the left wing hit a second tree, and the airplane rotated to the left. The left wing then dropped as the right wing struck trees. The witness further stated that 'the airplane was under full power, like he wanted to get out of there.' Since completing an airplane single engine seaplane rating, the pilot logged a total of 26.1 hours in the accident airplane with floats attached to the airframe. The pilot's total airplane single engine seaplane experience was 32.1 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SADDLE ISLAND
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04841
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
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 1655 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID RKD
Elevation of weather observation facility 56
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1116
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1476
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 24 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1758
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2001 1:59PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98PK
NTSB Number NYC99FA210
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 188157
Certified Max Gross Weight 1760
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 Dec 17 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 77
Airframe Hours 2324
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETER K. ORNE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4251 BEAUCAIRE AVE
Aircraft Owner City CAMDEN
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04843
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City CAMDEN
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 1550
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --