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NYC93LA070

1993-04-06 · NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport OWK

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PROVIDED INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS HAD NO FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE BEING FLOWN.

Factual narrative

A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR OFFERED TO GIVE INSTRUCTION, IN A TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE, TO A RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO HAD NOT FLOWN IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. THE RATED PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH BRAKES ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHERE THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS SEATED. POWER WAS APPLIED AND THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED. THE RATED PILOT ON THE CONTROLS DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE LEFT VEER WITH RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RUNWAY, WAS CAUGHT IN A SNOW BANK AND NOSED OVER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1993_NYC93LA070.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.