Piper PA-11S accident near Palermo, Maine, July 16, 2002
On July 16, 2002 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-11S, registered N4504M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palermo, Maine (None 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
pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind. A factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2002 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palermo, Maine · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11S · all PA-11Ss on the register
- Registration
- N4504M · registry record · serial 11-7
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew to Sheepscot Lake to test and monitor the oil pressure gauge that he had just installed. During a high speed taxi test toward the northeast, the pilot said the wind lifted the left wing and dropped the right wing into the water, which caused the aircraft to nose over. The front spreader bar on the floats broke, and the propeller struck the right float and it filled with water. Wind at an airport 15 miles away was from 350 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,961.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1998; 16.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Palermo ME at 2:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Sheepscot Lake ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from AUG, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N4504M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.