Cessna 172H N1782F

Summary

On 3 July 2009 at about 18:49 local time, a Cessna 172H registered N1782F, operated by Chadwick Gates, was involved in an accident near Clifton, Maine, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 July 2009 at 18:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Clifton, Maine, United States

Coordinates

44.8192, -68.5697

Aircraft

Cessna 172H

Registration

N1782F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Chadwick Gates

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clifton → Old Town

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09CA382

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's mismanagement of his fuel supply which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.