2013 Beech C23 Accident in Bingham, Maine (N243RG)

Accident Overview and Flight History On August 20, 2013, at approximately 1454 EDT, a Beech C23, registration N243RG, sustained substantial damage when it struck the Kennebec River shortly after departing Gadabout Gaddis Airport (ME08) in Bingham, Maine. The aircraft was conducting a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The aircraft was owned by the pilot and based at Augusta State Airport (AUG). The flight originated from AUG with approximately 30 gallons of gasoline in each wing tank, and the purpose was to appraise a vehicle in Bingham. The pilot reported that the initial arrival at ME08 was uneventful. During the return leg, the pilot departed runway 31, a 2,000-foot turf runway. He reported that the airspeed indicator appeared inoperative and that he tapped it. He estimated his speed at 60–70 mph. After pulling back on the control wheel, the stall warning activated at approximately 20 feet above ground level. He pushed forward to regain airspeed and turned slightly upriver, after which the right wing contacted trees and the aircraft impacted the river nose-first.