Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lindbergh Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Avon, Maine 04966
Friday, June 13, 2008 19:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the amateur-built experimental light sport airplane, started the engine in an open grass area in front of his hangar at the airport, and motored the vehicle forward to inflate the parachute. In accordance with his "normal operating practice," he applied full power and began the takeoff roll to the south from the open grass area, which was perpendicular to, and east of, the designated 2,300-foot long by 90-foot wide runway. This area was not designated as a runway. The vehicle lifted off, and when it was approximately 15 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot tried to make a 130-degree right turn to the northwest to continue the climb out along the runway. The pilot was unable to complete the turn or clear the trees on the south side of the runway, and the vehicle impacted the trees at approximately 15 feet agl. The pilot reported that this was the first time he had tried to takeoff from the grass area, while carrying a passenger. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the powered parachute during the accident. The winds reported at an airport 34 miles to the southeast, at the time of the accident, were from 320 degrees at 3 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to takeoff from an area that was not a designated runway, and his failure to maintain clearance of trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/13/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1915 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Avon |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04966 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 442535N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0702016W |
| Event Location Airport | Lindbergh Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 08ME |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 554 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1955 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | WVL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 333 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 34 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | -- |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24045 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Portland FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 18 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2008 3:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5079W |
| NTSB Number | NYC08CA219 |
| 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 | Heldeberg Design |
| Aircraft Model | Blue Heron Marathon |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | H000035 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 850 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Oct 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 132 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David E. Avery |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Salem Township |
| Aircraft Owner State | ME |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 04983 |
| 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 | 08ME |
| Departure City | Avon |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1915 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 08ME |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 30 2008 9:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 90 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |