- Date
- July 3, 2009, 14:49 local (18:49 UTC)
- Place
- Clifton, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1782FCessna 172H
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090703053869A
- Case key
- 74209
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
The pilot's mismanagement of his fuel supply which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he completed a preflight inspection and estimated that there were approximately 5 gallons of fuel in the left main tank and "little or none" in the right main tank. He added that he departed with the fuel selector in the "Both" position. The before-takeoff checks were "good" and he performed a southerly takeoff. While turning crosswind, the engine stopped producing power, the airplane "wanted to stall," but it landed on the water "hard" and under control. The airplane then struck a dock, the floats collapsed, and the airplane continued into the woods which damaged the wings. The winds reported 12 miles west of the accident site were from 190 degrees at 6 knots. Other than the loss of engine power, the pilot reported that there were no problems with the performance and handling of the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he completed a preflight inspection and estimated that there were approximately 5 gallons of fuel in the left main tank and "little or none" in the right main tank. He added that he departed with the fuel selector in the "Both" position. The before-takeoff checks were "good" and he performed a southerly takeoff. While turning crosswind, the engine stopped producing power, the airplane "wanted to stall," but it landed on the water "hard" and under control. The airplane then struck a dock, the floats collapsed, and the airplane continued into the woods which damaged the wings. The winds reported 12 miles west of the accident site were from 190 degrees at 6 knots. Other than the loss of engine power, the pilot reported that there were no problems with the performance and handling of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1782F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17255177
- Airframe hours
- 5,369
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chadwick Gates
- Registered owner
- Chadwick Gates
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 2009 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- Clifton, ME
- Destination
- OLD · Old Town, ME
- Airport
- runway 18, water
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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 17, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.78 inHg
- Observed at
- BGR, 12 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 313 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.