Bowman Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Livermore Falls, Maine 04254
Friday, September 30, 1983 22:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A GO-AROUND AT NIGHT IN A GROUND FOG. THE PLT HAD CALLED HIS WIFE AND DISCUSSED THE WEATHER. HE DECIDED ON AN ALTERNATE ARPT IF THE WEATHER CREATED PROBLEMS. HE HAD FLOWN INTO BOWMAN FIELD MANY TIMES AT NIGHT AND KNEW THE FIELD WELL. IN THE ARPT GUIDE, IN REMARKS, IT STATES: NO NIGHT OPERATIONS EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY. IT ALSO STATES RWY 02: TREE, RWY 20: TREE. THE BEACON LIGHTS ATOP THE HANGER CAME ON AT 2230. AT 2235 AN APPROACHING ACFT WAS HEARD. THE ACFT APPROACHED FROM THE NORTH AND THE POWER WAS HEARD TO INCREASE AS THE ACFT PASSED OVER THE TREES. POWER WAS REDUCED AND THEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN BURST OF POWER FOLLOWED BY THE SOUNDS OF TREE CONTACT BEFORE A CRASH. A WITNESS SAW THE ACFT DESCEND INTO THE FOG AND CLIMB BACK OUT BEFORE THE CONTACT WITH TREES. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR OF CLOUDS, GOOD VISIBILITY, WIND CALM, GROUND FOG ABOUT 5 TO 15 FT AGL IN PATCHES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2235
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LIVERMORE FALLS
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04254
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOWMAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID B10
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 327
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Night/Dark
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) 5
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 Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3119
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24166
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2429D
NTSB Number NYC83FA260
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 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 20581
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 2031
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE S. LESKO, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RFD #1, SOUTHER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LIVERMORE FALLS
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04254
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 BGR
Departure City BANGOR
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 20
Runway Length 2450
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --