Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bowman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Livermore Falls, Maine 04228
Friday, December 7, 2001 11:09 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed on a pleasure flight and was approaching his destination. He intended to land on runway 20, a 2,350 foot-long, 125 foot wide turf strip. When he arrived at the airport, the wind sock was straight out in a direct crosswind to the runway. While on approach to land, the pilot stated that he was "slipping in." He added that while on final he was too low, and he realized that he was going to hit the trees. He leveled the wings, and "clipped" the trees. The airplane was spun 180 degrees, and came to rest on the ground. The pilot reported that it had been about 6 years since his most recent biennial flight review, and about 7 years since his last FAA medical examination. A weather observation, at an airport about 15 miles from the accident site included winds from 290 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 23 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude clearance while landing, which resulted in a collision with trees. A factor was the crosswind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/7/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1109 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Livermore Falls |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04228 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 442440N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0700843W |
| Event Location Airport | Bowman Field Airport |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 200 |
| Airport Elevation | 327 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 290 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AUG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 352 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 23 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.81 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | Aug is 16 miles, 308 degrees mag. |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 13795 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 7 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1400 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland, Maine |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40621 |
| NTSB Number | IAD02LA019 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | J3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7404 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1220 |
| 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 | Sep 7 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 18 |
| Airframe Hours | 5383 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Gary H. Rounds |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Waterford |
| Aircraft Owner State | ME |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 04088 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | 81B |
| Departure City | Oxford County |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1044 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | B10 |
| Destination City | Livermore Falls |
| Destination State | ME |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 28 2003 12:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 2350 |
| Runway Width | 125 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |