BFO93LA166

Factual narrative

On Wednesday, September 8, 1993, at about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Kit Fox Model 4, N193CW, owned and operated by Charles Cunningham of Bowdoinham, Maine, and Robert Wilson of Brunswick, Maine, and piloted by Charles Cunningham, lost total engine power shortly after takeoff from runway 14 at the Merrymeeting airport located in Bowdoinham. The airplane collided with trees during the subsequent forced landing and was substantially damaged. The pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff, the airplane's Rotax two cylinder engine lost total power. He stated he tried to reverse direction and land the airplane on runway 32. He stated the airplane did not have enough altitude to clear the trees at the approach end of the runway. The airplane impacted the trees and came to rest on the treetops about 50 feet above the ground. Post accident examination of the engine was accomplished and no anomalies were noted. Fuel was found in the fuel tanks and fuel lines leading to the engine. The engine was started and ran without any anomalies noted. The engine failure could not be duplicated. The pilot stated that the airplane's engine had lost total power on a previous flight. He stated that he thought the problem was with the airplane's electronics because the tachometer was "very erratic." He stated he checked all the airplane's electronic equipment and could not duplicate the problem. The pilot stated that he thought the engine's double coil was "shorting out." SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TREES AND CAME TO REST IN THE TREE TOPS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS AND FUEL LINES LEADING TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS RUN AND A FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD LOST TOTAL POWER ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRONICS, SPECIFICALLY, THE ENGINE'S DOUBLE COIL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CHECKED THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRONICS AND A FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12