Piper PA-24-250 accident near Machias, Maine, June 26, 2007
On June 26, 2007 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5457P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Machias, Maine (Machias Valley 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 in-flight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2007 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Machias, Maine · Machias Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5457P · registry record · serial 24-513
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Piper PA-24-250 used runway 36 for departure while the windsock was indicating a west wind. The temperature was approximately 83 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pilot noticed a reduced climb performance. After a local flight of approximately 15 minutes, the pilot returned for a full stop landing. He did not recheck the windsock, and elected to use runway 36. During his landing attempt, the pilot noticed that the airplane "wouldn't settle." The pilot considered aborting the landing, but decided against it due to the airplane's position, and the reduced climb performance during the previous takeoff. After touchdown, he retracted the wing flaps in order to obtain maximum braking performance. However, this action also delayed brake application, since the airplane was only equipped with hand-activated brakes. At approximately 30 mph, the pilot steered the airplane off the right side of the runway, in order to avoid running off the end and incurring more severe damage. The airplane continued down an embankment, and was stopped by underbrush and trees approximately 250 feet beyond the runway. According to an eyewitness, the airplane touched down on the last third of the runway, and the wind was from the south at the time of the event.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,432 hours
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming o-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MVM Machias ME
- Destination: MVM Machias ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,909 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from CWSS, 31 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.