# Accident 20081003853139A: Cessna 172M, Naples, ME, October 3, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 3, 2008, 15:00 local time
- Place: Naples, ME
- Airport: Brandy Pond
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.9528° N, 70.6317° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9528&lon=-70.6317&mi=10
- Aircraft: N20921, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N20921) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 500 total, 371 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09CA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA010) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081003853139A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT HAVE THE FLOATS REMOVED FOR THE SEASON. HE TAXIED THE AIRPLANE DOING AN INITIAL BRAKE TEST TO CONFIRM THEY WERE OPERATING PROPERLY. HE THEN BACK TAXIED TO THE NORTH END OF THE GRASS RUNWAY AND PERFORMED A RUN-UP. REALIZING THAT THE RUNWAY WAS A LITTLE ROUGHER THAN HE HAD EXPECTED, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A HIGH SPEED TAXI TEST TO SEE HOW THE PLANE WOULD HANDLE. AFTER DOING THIS SATISFACTORILY, HE AGAIN TAXIED TO THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY AND STARTED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKES, THE AIRPLANE SEEMED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CROSSED A SLIGHT HIGH SPOT CREATED BY A CULVERT UNDER THE RUNWAY (APROX. 250 FEET FROM THE NORTH END), IT SEEMED TO GET LIGHT AND STATED TO SLIDE SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT ON THE WET GRASS. THE PILOT APPLIED MORE RIGHT AILERON, THEN RUDDER AND THEN SOME RIGHT BRAKE. THE PILOT MOMENTARILY CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF ROLL, BUT WAS NOT CONFIDENT THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY ON THE CENTERLINE. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT ELECTED TO PULL THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, APPLIED BRAKES AND SHUT OFF THE MAGS. AFTER SLOWING THE AIRPLANE SOMEWHAT, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A TREE AND THIS PIVOTED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE BRUSH AS IT CAME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET FROM THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA09CA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA010), Oct 3, 2008: Cessna 172 (N20921), Naples, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the wet condition of the grass runway.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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