Beech A36 accident near Fryeburg, Maine, January 1, 2014
On January 1, 2014 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 1981 Beech A36, registered N1803X, was involved in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Fryeburg, Maine (Eastern Slopes Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s incapacitation due to a cardiac event during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2014 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fryeburg, Maine · Eastern Slopes Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 UNDESIGNAT, built 1981 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1803X · registry record · serial E-1864
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot's son reported that he saw his father's airplane initiate a slow taxi for departure, drift right off the taxiway, and then come to rest next to a snow bank. The pilot's son found the pilot slumped over the control yoke, and he was subsequently transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The pilot reported no significant medical history on his medical certificate application, and no health issues were identified during his most recent physical examination. However, the pilot's wife reported that the pilot had a history of heart disease. An autopsy revealed severe coronary artery atherosclerosis, an enlarged heart, and evidence of hypertensive heart disease, and the autopsy report stated that the cause of death was "severe coronary artery atherosclerosis."
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
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Cardiovascular › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,940 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 3,651 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZG Fryeburg ME at 3:45 pm
- Destination: LDJ Linden NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from IZG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 ERA14LA084.