Thomas Wayne L THOMAS' FLYER N35WT

Summary

On 13 August 2022 at about 18:00 local time, a Thomas Wayne L THOMAS' FLYER registered N35WT was involved in an accident near Searsmont, Maine, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 August 2022 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Searsmont, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Ridgeview (12ME)

Coordinates

44.3223, -69.2073

Aircraft

Thomas Wayne L THOMAS' FLYER

Registration

N35WT

Category

Airplane

Year built

2007

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA372

1 person had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power during the initial climb for reasons that could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, this was the first time that the experimental, amateur-built airplane had been flown in 5 years. An aviation mechanic recently flushed the fuel tanks several times to ensure that they were clean and signed-off a condition inspection. After performing several engine run-ups, the pilot taxied to the active runway and took off. As the airplane climbed between 300 and 500 ft above the ground, the engine sustained a “very brief” stutter, then experienced a complete loss of power. The pilot attempted to return to the airport but was unsuccessful. The airplane descended and impacted on rough terrain near the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.