Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fryeburg, Maine 04037
Tuesady, May 28, 1985 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN UNCONTROLLED ATTITUDE NEAR THE RWY FROM WHICH IT HAD RECENTLY DEPARTED. THERE WAS A 40 DEGREE DOWN SWATH CUT THROUGH THE TREES TO A CRATER IN THE GROUND. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE CRASH SITE AND EXAMINED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND TO PREVENT NORMAL OPERTION. ONE WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL AND APPEARED TO BE ALMOST IN A STALL. THE ENGINE SOUNDED SMOOTH BUT NOT RUNNING AT FULL SPEED. THE ACFT APPEARED HEAVY & SLUGGISH. THE WX WAS LIGHT RAIN, SORT OF A MIST, AT THAT TIME. THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM THIS WITNESS RANGE OF SIGHT AND WAS NOT SEEN AGAIN. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED THE NEXT DAY AIDED BY SIGNALS FROM THE ELT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/28/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRYEBURG
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04037
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2956
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 28 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32250
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53809
NTSB Number NYC85FA136
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model C172P
Aircraft Series Identifier C172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274820
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 26 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2171
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT CENTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 349
Aircraft Owner City DANVERS
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01923
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREGORY J. BURCHSTEAD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 14 PUTNAM LANE
Operator City DANVERS
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01923
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 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BVY
Destination City BEVERLY
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --