Amateur-built Rans S-12 accident near Mercer, Maine, September 24, 2002
On September 24, 2002 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Rans S-12, registered N7011Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mercer, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision, and failure to maintain adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with a wire during a low altitude flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2002 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mercer, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rans S-12
- Registration
- N7011Y · no longer on the register · serial 1092309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident pilot was accompanied by a friend, who was flying a second airplane. After takeoff, they flew along a river and landed at another airport. The pilot's friend said he flew about 500 feet above the ground in the vicinity of the river, while the accident pilot was "flying literally on the river." They then departed the airport and flew back over the river. The pilot's friend lost sight of the accident pilot and later observed the accident airplane suspended in a cable over the river. The airplane struck the middle of, and became entangled in a United States Geological Survey cable, which was about 20 to 25 feet above the river and about 3 miles west-southwest of the departure airport. The pilot's friend said that the accident pilot was aware of the cable because they had talked about it during a previous flight along the river. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The pilot had purchased the homebuilt airplane about two months prior to the accident. A check of the Federal Aviation Administration Airman database for the accident pilot did not reveal any pilot or medical certificate information.
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
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 585 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 920 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWK Norridgewock ME at 6:50 pm
- Destination: NONE Farmington ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from WVL, 17 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.