None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palermo, Maine 04354
Tuesady, July 16, 2002 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot flew to Sheepscot Lake to test and monitor the oil pressure gauge that he had just installed. During a high speed taxi test toward the northeast, the pilot said the wind lifted the left wing and dropped the right wing into the water, which caused the aircraft to nose over. The front spreader bar on the floats broke, and the propeller struck the right float and it filled with water. Wind at an airport 15 miles away was from 350 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind. A factor was the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PALERMO
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04354
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 442128N
Event Location Longitude 0692559W
Event Location Airport NONE
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 953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID AUG
Elevation of weather observation facility 352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) 1216
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13817
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1220
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 FAA/FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4504M
NTSB Number IAD02LA073
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 PA-11S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 11-7
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 Jul 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16.5
Airframe Hours 4961.2
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH FOSTER IRELAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City PALERMO
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04354
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City PALERMO
Departure State ME
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City SHEEPSCOT LAKE
Destination State ME
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 11 2002 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --