Golden Circle Air T BIRD II accident near Wiscassett, Maine, December 17, 2017
On December 17, 2017 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1996 Golden Circle Air T BIRD II, registered N5619Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Wiscassett, Maine (Wiscasset 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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2017 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wiscassett, Maine · Wiscasset · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Golden Circle Air T BIRD II NO SERIES, built 1996 · all T BIRD IIs on the register
- Registration
- N5619Z · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped, experimental airplane, the airplane bounced to the left side of the runway during the takeoff roll. He thought that the airplane would "straighten itself out"; however, the airplane's tail lifted, and the airplane continued to the left. The left main landing gear impacted a snowbank, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The airplane came to rest in the safety area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 4kts and the sky was clear. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: sport pilot
- Flight time: 1,186.5 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 1,070 as pilot in command; 135 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWI Wiscassett ME at 7:30 pm
- Destination: IWI Wiscassett ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,397 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KIWI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 GAA18CA105.