Maxair MU 582 DRIFTER accident near Old Forge, NY
On August 18, 2010, a Maxair MU 582 DRIFTER (airplane) was involved in an accident near Old Forge, NY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 18, 2010
- Place
- Old Forge, NY
- Aircraft
- Maxair MU 582 DRIFTER · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 43.714°N, 74.941°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100818X35504
Official records · ERA10LA431
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 18, 2010, about 1110 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Maxair MU 582 Drifter, N582RH, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly takeoff from First Lake, near Old Forge, NY. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The passenger provided a statement to the New York State Police, which recounted the events that took place during the accident flight. According to the passenger, the pilot planned to fly the airplane to the opposite end of the lake to meet several family members. After fueling the airplane and taxiing about "three quarters down the lake", the pilot oriented the airplane into the wind and began the takeoff. The airplane began to climb within 300 feet, but shortly thereafter, and as the airplane was approaching a line of trees on the shore, the passenger heard the pilot state "this isn't good." The pilot the advised the passenger to, "hang on" as he banked the airplane steeply to the right. The passenger further described, "We banked so hard that we lost all forward momentum and started to free fall." The airplane's engine continued to operate throughout the entire accident sequence until the airplane impacted the ground. The passenger estimated that the airplane fell to the ground from a height of about 100 feet, and impacted a nose down attitude in a swamp. T
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to use the full length of the lake, which necessitated a steep turn to avoid obstacles during takeoff that resulted in an accelerated stall.
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Browse: New York
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
