Accident Overview
A pilot took off on runway 07 and was cleared direct to the Wiscasset NDB, located east of the airport. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane began turning to the left. The pilot then asked the controller, "...can you tell if I'm in a turn? I have a problem here." Soon thereafter, the airplane collided with terrain in an uncontrolled descent, approximately 1.6 miles north of the airport.
Fueling and Imbalance
Investigation revealed that three days before the accident, a refueler had added 840 pounds of fuel to the airplane's left wing. The fuel farm then ran out of fuel, and no further fueling was accomplished. The pilot was not advised of the uneven fuel load. During the preflight, procedures in the Beech E90 Pilot's Operating Manual (POM) included a check of the fuel tanks. The Beech C90 POM specified a maximum fuel imbalance of 200 pounds, but the E90 POM did not specify a maximum fuel imbalance. Examination of the wreckage found no preimpact malfunction or failure.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was stated as: Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane while climbing after takeoff, due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent collision with terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the improper refueling (servicing of the aircraft) by FBO personnel, and failure of the pilot to note the excessive lateral imbalance of the airplane during preflight.