Piper PA-18-150 N8588Y

Summary

On 12 August 1994 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N8588Y, operated by Fitzhugh, Randall S., was involved in an accident near Grand Lake Strm, Maine, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1994 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Lake Strm, Maine, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N8588Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Fitzhugh, Randall S.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Pocumcus → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO94FA134

2 people died.

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR RECOVERY. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO GIVE THE PASSENGER A SIGHTSEEING RIDE OF LAKE POCUMCUS. WHILE THE FLIGHT WAS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE, THE PILOT INITIATED A 90-DEGREE CLIMB. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE GAINED ABOUT 300 FEET IN ALTITUDE AND LOST '...ALMOST ALL AIRSPEED.' THE WITNESS STATED, 'I BELIEVE THE PILOT PUSHED THE NOSE OVER BECAUSE THE WINGS STAYED LEVEL.' THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED STRAIGHT DOWN AND IMPACTED THE WATER. NUMEROUS WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE ENGINE RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE MANUEVER UNTIL IMPACT. POST- ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY A WITNESS ON THE SHORE OF THE LAKE JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT SHOWED THE AIRPLANE'S ELEVATORS IN A TRAILING EDGE UP POSITION. THE PILOT'S BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.075%. FAA REGULATIONS PROHIBITS OPERATION OF AN AIRCRAFT ABOVE AN 0.040% LEVEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.