- Date
- June 16, 1990, 01:26 local (05:26 UTC)
- Place
- Augusta, ME
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2898UCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900616023569A
- Case key
- 36662
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
Poor judgement of the pilot, his decision to attempt VFR flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his loss of aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's lack of proper certification (qualification), his possible impairment due to consumption of alcohol, darkness, adverse weather conditions, and the pilot's lack of instrument and flight experience.
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The student pilot's certificate had previously been revoked for taking an airplane without the owner's permission. He took an airplane again without permission for a night flight in weather that was indefinite 100' ceiling with 1/4 mi visibility & fog. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane entered clouds & the pilot made a descending turn to regain visual contact. Subsequently, the airplane struck the ground & was extensively damaged. The owner said he kept a spare set of keys in the airplane & they were missing two days before the accident. The spare keys were found on the pilot's key ring after the accident. After the downed airplane & pilot were found, he was taken to a hospital. A sample of his blood was drawn & a toxicology check showed it had an alcohol level of 0.01 g/dl (0.010%).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2898U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17250498
- Airframe hours
- 4,368
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Michael Duplessis
- Registered owner
- Charles L. Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · October 3, 1989
- Departed
- AUG
- Airport
- AUG · Augusta, runway 26, 2,703 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 19
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 33 total · 33 in this make and model · 8 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 190° at 7 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2898U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.