On July 29, 1984, a Piper J58 (registration N38402) was involved in an aviation accident near Gilead, ME. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude over rising terrain while navigating through a downdraft, which resulted in a forced landing and aircraft damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempting to locate a fishing spot encountered a downdraft at low altitude and airspeed, creating a situation where he could not clear the rising terrain or reverse his flight path.
What happened
The aircraft was forced to land following an encounter with a downdraft at low altitude and airspeed. According to the pilot, he and a companion were searching for a fishing spot when they realized they could not clear the rising terrain ahead. The pilot noted that he was unable to execute a 180-degree turn to reverse his flight path. A decision was made to land straight ahead, during which the aircraft sustained damage.
Findings
The incident involved fuel exhaustion due to the inability to maintain sufficient altitude over rising terrain after encountering unexpected weather conditions.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude over rising terrain while navigating through a downdraft, which resulted in a forced landing and aircraft damage.