Aviat A-1A incident near Fryeburg, Maine, July 16, 2004
On July 16, 2004 at about 2:57 pm local time, a Aviat A-1A, registered N4674L, suffered minor damage in an incident near Fryeburg, Maine (Eastern Slopes Reg. 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 improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2004 · about 2:57 pm local time
- Place
- Fryeburg, Maine · Eastern Slopes Reg. Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1A
- Registration
- N4674L · no longer on the register · serial 1433
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while cruising at 700-800 feet agl, the airplane's engine began running roughly, and experienced a loss of power. The pilot enriched the mixture, then applied carburetor heat, which made the engine run rougher, so he removed it. The engine continued to lose power until level flight could no longer be maintained. The pilot opted to land in a farmer's field; however, irrigation equipment was present, so he landed on a beach along a river. The airplane touched down fast, and subsequently floated. Nearing the end of the beach, the pilot attempted to abort the landing. When the pilot advanced the throttle, the engine responded with "about 15 percent power." The wheels of the airplane contacted the water, and the airplane nosed over, and came to rest upside down in the river. Prior to the incident, the pilot had contacted the state division of aeronautics regarding the legality of landing on sandbars in that river. Ambient temperature/dewpoint conditions at the time were favorable for moderate carburetor icing at cruise power, and serious carburetor icing at glide power.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 709 hours in all; 246 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 573 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 730 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2003; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,890 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCI Laconia NH at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from IZG, 3 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 N4674L 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.