Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Eastern Slopes Reg. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fryeburg, Maine 04037
Friday, July 16, 2004 10:57 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, while cruising at 700-800 feet agl, the airplane's engine began running roughly, and experienced a loss of power. The pilot enriched the mixture, then applied carburetor heat, which made the engine run rougher, so he removed it. The engine continued to lose power until level flight could no longer be maintained. The pilot opted to land in a farmer's field; however, irrigation equipment was present, so he landed on a beach along a river. The airplane touched down fast, and subsequently floated. Nearing the end of the beach, the pilot attempted to abort the landing. When the pilot advanced the throttle, the engine responded with "about 15 percent power." The wheels of the airplane contacted the water, and the airplane nosed over, and came to rest upside down in the river. Prior to the incident, the pilot had contacted the state division of aeronautics regarding the legality of landing on sandbars in that river. Ambient temperature/dewpoint conditions at the time were favorable for moderate carburetor icing at cruise power, and serious carburetor icing at glide power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 7/16/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1057 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fryeburg |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04037 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 440059N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0705850W |
| Event Location Airport | Eastern Slopes Reg. Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IZG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 330 |
| Airport Elevation | 454 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1054 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 140 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IZG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 454 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.63 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 16731 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 16 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1230 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2004 11:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4674L |
| NTSB Number | IAD04IA032 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aviat |
| Aircraft Model | A-1A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1433 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1890 |
| 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 | Dec 18 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 80 |
| Airframe Hours | 730 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Paul Harris |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 635 North Main Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wolfeboro |
| Aircraft Owner State | NH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 03894 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 635 North Main Street |
| Operator City | Wolfeboro |
| Operator State | NH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 03894 |
| 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 | LCI |
| Departure City | Laconia |
| Departure State | NH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 915 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 5 2013 12:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |