Amateur-built MERLIN accident near Otisfield, Maine, March 17, 2012
On March 17, 2012 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built MERLIN, registered N6113Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Otisfield, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was his lack of experience in the airplane make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2012 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Otisfield, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MERLIN
- Registration
- N6113Y · no longer on the register · serial 94029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot purchased the airplane 7 years before the accident but had only accumulated 1 hour of flight time in it. Prior to the accident, the pilot and a friend performed adjustments to the airplane's floats. The pilot then taxied on the lake and departed for a local flight. A witness stated that as the airplane reached an altitude of 100 feet, it banked to the right slightly and then banked hard to the left and pitched down. The airplane impacted the frozen lake in a nose-down attitude, bounced, and came to rest, breaking the ice. Postaccident examination of the airplane found no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Otisfield ME at 4:30 pm
- Destination: Otisfield ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from LEW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on August 3, 2012. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1: Aircraft from Front (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 2: Aircraft from Rear (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 3: Aircraft from Right Side (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Witness Statement | 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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.