- Date
- June 16, 1999, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Millinocket, ME
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7897GCessna 172L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990616030659A
- Case key
- 46621
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 total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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
After takeoff, the airplane climbed to 400 feet above the ground, when the engine quit. The pilot performed a forced landing to a grass field located off the departure end of a perpendicular runway, and the airplane came to rest in a wooded area. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. An undetermined amount of fuel was observed in both wing tanks. All fuel and oil filters were intact and no contaminants were observed. The spark plugs were removed, and their electrodes were intact and light gray in color. The left and right magnetos were tested, by rotating the engine, and produced spark on all leads. The airplane's engine was then prepared for a test run, and started. The engine ran for about 7 minutes, then was shut down.
Factual narrative
On June 16, 1999, about 1515 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172L, N7897G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at the Millinocket Municipal Airport, Millinocket, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the aerial observation flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated in a telephone interview that after takeoff from Runway 29, the airplane climbed to 400 feet above the ground, when the engine quit. The airplane began to descend and the pilot configured the airplane for a forced landing. Looking for a place to land, the pilot turned the airplane to the right to avoid a residential area located off the departure end of the runway. The airplane was slipped to increase the decent, in an attempt to land on the overrun area of Runway 34. The airplane touched down in a grass field located off the departure end of Runway 34, bounced once and continued into a wooded area. Both wings were damaged, and the left fuel tank was ruptured.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. An undetermined amount of fuel was observed in both wing tanks. All fuel and oil filters were intact and no contaminants were observed. The spark plugs were removed; their electrodes were intact and light gray in color. The left and right magnetos were tested, by rotating the engine, and produced spark on all leads. The airplane's engine was then prepared for a test run, and started. The engine ran for about 7 minutes, then was shut down.
The winds reported on the airport, at 1453, were from 310 degrees at 9 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7897G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17259597
- Airframe hours
- 2,818
- Engine
- Lycoming O320-E2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lawrence Lankhorst Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 22, 1999 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- MLT
- Airport
- MLT · Millinocket Municipal Apt, runway 29, 4,713 × 100 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
- 63
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21,500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.