Amateur-built XENAIR CH701 accident near Durham, Maine, March 3, 1993
On March 3, 1993 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built XENAIR CH701, registered N942PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durham, Maine (Grass Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LIFT-OFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION AND PROXIMITY OF THE POWER LINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1993 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Durham, Maine · Grass Strip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built XENAIR CH701 XENAIR CH7
- Registration
- N942PS · registry record · serial 7-1568
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM HIS BACKYARD AIRSTRIP. HE STATED THAT AFTER REACHING 'TREE TOP LEVEL,' THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED 'A GOOD GUST OF WIND' AND WENT INTO ABOUT A 60 DEGREE LEFT BANK. HE STATED THAT A POWER LINE WAS ABOUT 200 FEET AWAY AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO RECOVER. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE POWER LINE, THEN CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS REPORTED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N942PS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO93LA042.