Cessna 180F accident near Brewer, Maine, February 27, 1993
On February 27, 1993 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180F, registered N4607U, was destroyed in an accident near Brewer, Maine (Brewer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE FORCED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1993 · about 1:30 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Brewer, Maine · Brewer · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180F · all 180Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4607U · registry record · serial 18051307
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE. A PREHEATER WAS NEEDED DUE TO THE VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT FOR 'ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MINUTES.' THE ENGINE HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO DIFFICULTIES IN TAXIING THE AIRPLANE THROUGH ICE AND SNOW BANKS TO GET TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN AND LAND ON A GOLF COURSE. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT BANK AND 'STALLED.' IT IMPACTED SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS, BUT SEVERAL SPARKPLUGS EXHIBITED SOOTING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 242 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 211 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1992; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0B2 at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Allagash Lake ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from BGR, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4607U on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,605 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,683 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-R 107 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Brewer Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Maine 529 since 1982 · 67 in the last ten years
- Maine 1,427 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/BFO93FA034.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.