Boeing A75N1 accident near Livermore Falls, Maine, August 1, 2009
On August 1, 2009 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Boeing A75N1, registered N49778, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Livermore Falls, Maine (Bowman Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2009 · about 12:45 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Livermore Falls, Maine · Bowman Field Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75N1 · all A75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N49778 · registry record · serial 75-3009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the engine began to lose power. With insufficient runway remaining to stop, he elected to continue the takeoff. The engine continued to lose power and the airplane settled into the trees, resulting in structural damage to the wings. Postaccident inspection of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies. The engine ran satisfactorily after the accident; however a full-power run was not conducted due to propeller damage. The pilot reported that the grass in the run-up area was wet, with standing water, and that conditions were “ideal for the formation of carburetor ice.” While the Federal Aviation Administration's Carburetor Icing Chart revealed “Serious icing (glide power)” for the reported temperature and dew point conditions, the investigation could not conclusively determine that carburetor ice caused the loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 122 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R-680 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: B10 Livermore Falls ME at 12:45 pm
- Destination: OWK Norridgewock ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,201 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from AUG, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 7, 2010. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memo of Record - Mark Smith | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Excerpt from FAA Sab CE-09-35 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N49778 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Boeing A75 Stearman Kaydet 978 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Boeing 6,675 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming R-680 Series 225 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bowman Field · nearest airport
- Central Maine/Norridgewock Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Maine 529 since 1982 · 67 in the last ten years
- Maine 1,426 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA09LA433.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.