Piper PA-28-140 accident near Hampden, Maine, April 15, 1986
On April 15, 1986 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6264W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hampden, Maine (Bangor Int'L. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- April 15, 1986 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Hampden, Maine · Bangor Int'L.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6264W · registry record · serial 28-20311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PLT INITIATED A CLIMB & LEVELED OFF AT 2500'. AS HE REDUCED POWER TO CRUISE, THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING. ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENG WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE PLT LANDED ON ROCKY PASTURE LAND. FUEL WAS FOUND ON BOARD THE ACFT. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,248 hours in all; 263 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 3,187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,122 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 26, 1985; 138 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Banger ME
- Destination: PWM Portland ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.