Amateur-built AVIPRO BEARHAWK accident near Roxbury, Maine, August 14, 2024
On August 14, 2024 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built AVIPRO BEARHAWK, registered N652BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Roxbury, Maine (Thomas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s unstable approach which resulted in a landing with insufficient runway remaining to stop and subsequent impact with a river embankment. Contributing was the engine coolant system anomaly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2024 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Roxbury, Maine · Thomas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVIPRO BEARHAWK, built 2008
- Registration
- N652BH · registry record · serial 020-27/28-652
- 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 after takeoff he climbed and proceeded to complete a circuit of the airport traffic pattern. While in the traffic pattern, he saw a puff of white smoke, indicative of burned coolant, near the rudder pedals and he elected to perform a precautionary landing. On approach to the runway the pilot was above the glide path but he elected to continue the approach. During the landing flare the engine lost power completely, and the airplane continued to float about ¾ of the way down the runway before touching down. As the airplane approached the end of the runway the pilot elected to force a “ground loop” to prevent the airplane from exiting the runway and going into a river. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found substantial damage to the fuselage from impact with the river embankment. The FAA inspector also noted that there was residual coolant in the cowling. The pilot reported that there was also residual coolant around the radiator cap. The pilot speculated that the automotive, rotary engine’s the rotor coolant seal may have been compromised, which allowing air from compression to enter the coolant system, and resulted in an over pressurization of this system and subsequent coolant expulsion through the radiator cap.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng liquid cooling › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 250.2 hours in all; 16.2 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 193.3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 23, 2024
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mazda 13B (piston); 16 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 1,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 am from 8B0, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K8B0 141515Z AUTO 18003KT 10SM SCT036 22/15 A3010 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 31, 2024. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� FAA Email Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA24LA355.