Witherspoons Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Haven, Maine 04853
Thursday, July 6, 2000 9:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While landing on a 1,045-foot long hard packed gravel runway, the airplane touched down, bounced, and began to 'float.' After the airplane touched down again, the pilot applied the brakes and raised the flaps in an attempt to stop. The airplane continued off the departure end of the runway, crossed a road, struck a boulder, and nosed over into a swamp, coming to rest inverted. After the accident skid marks were observed in the gravel that started with 20 feet of runway surface remaining. The two passengers in the airplane stated after the accident that they were coming in 'hot and fast.' According to the airplane operating handbook, the total landing distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle, using the specified technique for short field landings, at maximum gross weight, at sea level, and at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, was 1,415 feet. The pilot reported 8 total hours of flight experience in make and model.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to perform a go-around. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's lack of total flight experience in make and model, and the short landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 940
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NORTH HAVEN
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04853
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport WITHERSPOONS AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ME41
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 80
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 935 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID RKD
Elevation of weather observation facility 55
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 613
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N756HK
NTSB Number NYC00LA193
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model U206G
Aircraft Series Identifier U206G
Aircraft Serial Number 20604102
Certified Max Gross Weight 5600
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 27 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 6267
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TELFORD AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 100 AIRPORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City WATERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04901
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 FTSA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RKD
Departure City ROCKLAND
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ME41
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 1045
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --