- Date
- July 24, 1991, 12:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place
- Phillips, ME
- Injuries
- 3 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N85HCCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910724029799A
- Case key
- 36801
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
An inadvertent stall and loss of control due to the pilot's improper use of the wing flaps for takeoff. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's misunderstanding of airplane performance, and the pilot's decision to takeoff uphill.
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 made a takeoff with the flaps set at 30 degrees, on an uphill runway into the wind. The airplane was loaded at or near its gross weight. There was rising terrain off the departure end of the runway which exceeded the ability of the airplane to climb. The airplane stalled and struck the ground. Post accident investigation disclosed the wing flaps were at 35 degrees and the pilot when interviewed said there was no problem with the engine. He said he used the 30 degree flap setting to get airborne faster. In the Cessna 172M owner's manual, flap settings greater than 10 degrees are not recommended for takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85HC
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17264426
- Airframe hours
- 3,783
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Leo A Pratt
- Registered owner
- Leo A Pratt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 28, 1990 · 45 hours before
- Destination
- 3B5 · Turner, ME
- Airport
- NONE · Raymond, runway 35, 2,300 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 331 total · 269 in this make and model · 275 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.