HOULTON, Maine — A Houlton man escaped injury on Thursday afternoon after a minor airplane crash at Houlton International Airport.
The incident took place just before 3 p.m. Thursday, Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin said Friday.
Milton Bayliss, 77, was attempting to land his 2002 XAIR experimental aircraft when a cross wind and an engine rotating at low RPMs caused his airplane to flip over, according to Asselin.
Bayliss, who was not injured, was able to exit the cockpit and call the police department.
Officer Theron Bickford responded to the call and Bayliss told him that he did not need medical attention.
Asselin said the Federal Aviation Administration was contacted and someone there authorized law enforcement to leave the scene. Bayliss also told the officer that he would contact the FAA.
A damage estimate for the aircraft was not immediately available Friday.
Here we go again with an experimental aircraft, nonetheless piloted by a 77 year old man. Apparently you don’t need a license to fly one of these, but I believe there are age limits for a pilots license. He was lucky he came out in one piece!
Wrong on both counts:
1. A pilot’s license is needed to fly this particular aircraft. Only ultralights weighing 254 pounds or less qualify for not needing licensed pilot.
2. There is no age limit for pilots–just a medical exam and flight review every two years for private pilots. Sport pilots need license but no medical exam is required.
The story is quite vague–it mentions low RPMs. Well, when landing, the RPMs would be low, likely at idle. The cross wind however, can present problems and that likely is the cause. Good that the pilot is OK.
he is a pilot and a Vet
Freddie is 100% correct on points 1 & 2. As to the low rpm comment, it doesn’t make sense as you’re usually at idle when landing with a hand on the throttle “just in case.”
Actually, if you looked at all the aircraft accidents/incidents here in Maine for 2012, “standard” category aircraft have been involved far more. There have been a number of engine failures that have not happened to “experimental” category aircraft. Experimental aircraft are quite safe and flown by thousands around the world. Most are taken better care of and babied by their owners just like someone owning anything they’re proud of owning.
Some of these aircraft (the XAir) are lighter than “standard” category aircraft (ex: Piper Cub or Aeronca Chief) and affected by wind gusts more. Sometimes the weather goes bad after takeoff even when the forecast is okay. That’s just the way it is.
As to age being a factor, I don’t see this as a point in this instance. I’d wait to see what the investigation says before jumping to the “age” conclusion. I fly and can tell you that sometimes, age “ain’t” a factor when things go south!