Beech 19 accident near Augusta, Maine, September 1, 1996
On September 1, 1996 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Beech 19, registered N2009A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Augusta, Maine (Augusta State airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in at hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1996 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Maine · Augusta State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 19 · all 19s on the register
- Registration
- N2009A · no longer on the register · serial MB-898
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot planned to practice takeoffs and landings to build his solo flight time. He stated that 'The takeoff and pattern work seemed very good. The final was on track and the glideslope looked correct. I held about 60 [to] 65 knots over the runway numbers 35. I became slow and flared too high. The plane stalled over the runway and came down a little too hard.' The student also stated, 'I should have did a go-around instead of flaring so high off the ground.' During touchdown, the nose and left main gear collapsed, and the propeller was damaged. The student reported that the wind was calm, and there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane.
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
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,675 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 29, 1996; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUG at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from WVL, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N2009A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.