Cessna 320F accident near Lincoln, Maine, February 27, 1998
On February 27, 1998 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 320F, registered N6189Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lincoln, Maine (Lincoln Regional airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude which resulted in left main landing gear contacting a snowbank during the landing approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1998 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Maine · Lincoln Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320F · all 320Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6189Q · registry record · serial 320F0039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During final approach, the airplane's left main landing gear contacted a 2.5 foot high snow/ice bank, located 21 feet prior to the runway threshold. The airplane swerved to the left, and the pilot added power to stabilize the airplane and to realigned it with the runway center line. During touchdown, the airplane's left wing dropped lower then normal. As the airplane slowed, it began to drift left despite the use of full right rudder and brake. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway, and it's left wing struck another snow bank. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1998; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWM Portland ME at 4:30 pm
- Destination: LRG
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 2,803 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MLT, 18 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.