Beech A23A accident near Waterville, Maine, February 17, 1985
On February 17, 1985 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech A23A, registered N2234L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waterville, Maine (Waterville/Lafluer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1985 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waterville, Maine · Waterville/Lafluer
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23A · all A23As on the register
- Registration
- N2234L · no longer on the register · serial M-1049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER OF THE ACFT WAS A STUDENT PLT WITH ONLY 10.7 HRS TOTAL TIME, OF WHICH, 8.1 HRS WERE DUAL INSTRUCTION. HE WAS ON A FLT WITH A PRIVATE PLT OCCUPYING THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, WHO REPORTEDLY WAS ABOARD AS A PASSENGER. THE OWNER/STUDENT STATED THAT THE ENG LOST POWER WHEN THE ACFT WAS ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 23. THE ACFT THEN IMPACTED ON SLOPING TERRAIN BEFORE REACHING THE RWY. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 11 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:55 pm from AUG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.