- Date
- May 22, 1992, 17:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- St Francis, ME
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N739GMCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920522016289A
- Case key
- 11797
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. The wind condition was a related factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported he was making a low pass over a private airstrip at about 100 to 200 ft AGL, when the aircraft encountered a windshear. At that time, he was using full flaps and an airspeed of about 55 to 60 knots. According to the pilot, the airplane nosed down and struck the ground, despite his efforts to regain control. After impact, the aircraft came to rest after moving only about 5 ft. the pilot reported the winds were at 22 gusting to 30 KTS, and that there was moderate turbulence. No mechanical malfunction was reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739GM
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270532
- Airframe hours
- 6,122
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mark T. Hafford
- Registered owner
- Mark T. And Shirley A. Hafford
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 18, 1992 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- CAR · Caribou, ME
- Destination
- FVE · Frenchville, ME
- Airport
- Kelco Tree Farm
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 221 total · 154 in this make and model · 178 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 22 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.