Piper PA-22-150 accident near Limington, Maine, January 4, 1989
On January 4, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N5704D, was destroyed in an accident near Limington, Maine (Limington-Harmon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS, LACK OF PILOT EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, AND THE LACK OF SHOULDER HARNESS/UPPER BODY RESTRAINT DURING IMPACT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Limington, Maine · Limington-Harmon · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5704D · no longer on the register · serial 22-4400
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON AN APPROACH IN GUSTY, CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. AT THE THRESHOLD, THE PILOT PULLED UP WITH APPLICATION OF POWER & INITIATED A GO-AROUND & A LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT PASSED VERY LOW OVER TREES NEAR THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED THEY OBSERVED THE TAIL PITCH UP & THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & CRASHED. NO PRE-EXISTING FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT. A SIGMET FOR OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 6000' & WINDSHEAR WAS IN EFFECT. HIGH WINDS WERE NOTED OVER A LARGE AREA. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A WX BRIEFING FOR THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO A TAILWHEEL CONFIGURATION VIA STC. IT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER DIED FROM A SEVERE HEAD INJURY. THE LOW TIME PILOT HAD ONLY 6 HRS FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
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: 85 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 52 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lyman ME at 7:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 20 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from PWM, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5704D: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer and Colt 2,942 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,311 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Limington-Harmon Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Maine 532 since 1982 · 70 in the last ten years
- Maine 1,427 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC89FA062.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.