At about 21:00 EST, a Piper PA-32R-301T was damaged as it departed Farr Field Airport. The two occupants were not injured. The pilot said the flight originated from Bedford, Mass., earlier in the day, He had kept his fuel load low and planned on a short flight to Portland to refuel prior to returning to BED. The pilot reported that when he arrived at the airport for departure it was a dark night with no moon. After takeoff, he was not aware the airplane had drifted right until he saw tree branches that were illuminated by the right wing landing light. He said he did not have sufficient time to avoid the branches and struck them. He then continued with the takeoff and landed without incident at PWM.
Jan. 8, Harpswell, Maine / Piper Turbo Saratoga
At about 21:00 EST, a Piper PA-32R-301T was damaged as it departed Farr Field Airport. The two occupants were not injured. The pilot said the flight originated from Bedford, Mass., earlier in the day, He had kept his fuel load low and planned on a short flight to Portland to refuel prior to returning to BED. The pilot reported that when he arrived at the airport for departure it was a dark night with no moon. After takeoff, he was not aware the airplane had drifted right until he saw tree branches that were illuminated by the right wing landing light. He said he did not have sufficient time to avoid the branches and struck them. He then continued with the takeoff and landed without incident...
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper PA-32R-301T was damaged during a nighttime takeoff from Farr Field Airport, though its two occupants were uninjured.
- The pilot, having kept his fuel load low for a planned short flight to refuel, reported that conditions were extremely dark with no moon.
- After takeoff, the aircraft drifted right, striking tree branches that were only illuminated by the right wing landing light, giving the pilot insufficient time to react.
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