Piper PA-18-150 accident near Saddle Island, Maine, August 24, 1999
On August 24, 1999 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N98PK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saddle Island, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1999 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saddle Island, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N98PK · registry record · serial 188157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness who was located on a vessel in the water observed the airplane flying in a northerly direction, parallel a shoreline, about 500 feet above the water. About 1 minute later the witness observed the airplane on a southerly heading. The airplane was 'low and slow, about tree top level.' As the airplane passed by, 'the nose came up and the tail went down.' The tail struck a tree and the airplane veered to the left. The edge of the left wing hit a second tree, and the airplane rotated to the left. The left wing then dropped as the right wing struck trees. The witness further stated that 'the airplane was under full power, like he wanted to get out of there.' Since completing an airplane single engine seaplane rating, the pilot logged a total of 26.1 hours in the accident airplane with floats attached to the airframe. The pilot's total airplane single engine seaplane experience was 32.1 hours.
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: 2,820 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 2,634 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,324 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1998; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Camden ME at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from RKD, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC99FA210.