- Date
- October 9, 2004, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eliot, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N80657Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Portland FSDO
- FAA report
- 20041009034449A
- Case key
- 60305
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 inadequate in-flight planning decision, which resulted a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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 airplane was inbound for landing when the engine began to alternately lose and gain power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a corn field, and the airplane's nose gear, and both wings were damaged. Examination of the airplane revealed no visible fuel in both of the airplane's fuel tanks. When the fuel line from carburetor was removed, it yielded, "a few drops of fuel." In addition, there was no evidence of a fuel spill in the area surrounding the accident site. The airplane's fuel system contained 38 gallons of useable fuel, and the airplane had been operated for 4.4 hours since it was last refueled.
Factual narrative
On October 9, 2004, about 0930 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N80657, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Eliot, Maine. The certificated private pilot, and a passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Bar Harbor, Maine, about 0740. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Pat 91.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he intended to land at Skyhaven Airport (DAW), in Rochester, New Hampshire; however, he observed a layer of clouds about 200 to 400 feet above the ground, near the airport. The pilot elected to remain in the area for about 10 minutes, and did not observe any change in the cloud layer. He then elected to land at Pease International Airport (PSM), Portsmouth, New Hampshire; which was located about 14 miles south-southeast of DAW. While en route, the engine began to alternately lose and gain power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a corn field.
During the landing, the nose gear separated, and both wings were damaged.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no visible fuel in both of the airplane's fuel tanks. When the fuel line from carburetor was removed, it yielded, "a few drops of fuel." In addition, there was no evidence of a fuel spill in the area surrounding the accident site.
The airplane's Hobbs time at the accident site was 2728.0. The pilot did not add any fuel to the airplane prior to his flight. According to the airplane's owner and the rental log, the airplane had been operated for 4.4 hours since it was last refueled. The airplane's fuel system capacity included 38 gallons of useable fuel.
The pilot reported 1,200 hours of total flight experience, which included 300 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80657
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17266693
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ossipee Valley Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BHB · Bar Harbor, ME
- Destination
- DAW · Rochester, NH
- Airport
- PSM · Pease International Tradeport
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- SFM, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.