Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG II accident near Buxton, Maine, April 20, 1992
On April 20, 1992 at about 11:11 am local time, a amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG II, registered N519CS, was destroyed in an accident near Buxton, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 1992 · about 11:11 am local time
- Place
- Buxton, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG II BUSHBY MUS
- Registration
- N519CS · no longer on the register · serial M-II-1341
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT CHECKED THE WEATHER PRIOR TO DEPARTURE USING TV; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FLIGHT SERVICE. HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG, AND WAS OBSERVED MAKING A STEEP BANK TURN WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING AT HIGH POWER. IN THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND DISAPPEARED IN THE FOG, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER A CRASH WAS HEARD. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE, STRIKING SOME TREE BRANCHES ON THE WAY. A CHECK WITH THE AIRPLANE DESIGNER DISCLOSED THE AIRPLANE HAS 'VISCOUS' ACCELERATED STALL CHARACTERISTICS. ADDITIONALLY, HE SAID THAT IN AN ACCELERATED STALL, THE AIRPLANE HAS A TENDENCY TO SNAP ROLL INTO A SPIN IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE OF THE TURN.
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: 227 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 195 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 126 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1990; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: B20 Fryberg ME at 11:00 am
- Destination: LAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:57 am from PWM, 12 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.