Beech BE-36 accident near Biddeford, Maine, July 22, 2001
On July 22, 2001 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech BE-36, registered N3680U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Biddeford, Maine (Biddeford Muni 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 inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in an attempted takeoff with a control column lock installed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2001 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Biddeford, Maine · Biddeford Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-36
- Registration
- N3680U · registry record · serial E-1718
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he performed an engine run-up prior to takeoff without utilizing the airplane's checklist as he normally would. During the takeoff roll, the pilot was not able to pull-back on the control column. The airplane continued down the runway, until it departed the end of the runway and impacted several small trees. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the control column lock was installed in the control column. The pilot reported 1,300 hours of total flight experience, which included 200 hours in make and model. He was also a certified flight instructor.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2001; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Charlotte Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: B19 Biddeford ME at 7:10 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 3,011 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from SFM, 13 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.
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.