Cessna 172 accident near East Newport, Maine, February 20, 1994
On February 20, 1994 at about 7:21 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N100DF, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Newport, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER ENGINE MAINTENANCE BY THE OPERATOR RESULTING IN OIL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1994 · about 7:21 pm local time
- Place
- East Newport, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N100DF · registry record · serial 17259479
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED PITTSFIELD EARLIER IN THE DAY ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 3-1/2 HRS OF FLIGHT, THE PILOT DIVERTED TO BANGOR BECAUSE OF HIGH OIL TEMP AND LOW OIL PRESS INDICATIONS. FOUR QUARTS OF OIL WERE PUT IN THE ENGINE, AND NO MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED. NO OIL LEAKS WERE VISIBLE. SOON AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE SEIZED. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SOFT FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #4 CONNECTING ROD HAD FRACTURED. NO OIL WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE, AND THE ENGINE COMPONENTS WERE SEVERELY WORN. EXAMINATION OF THE LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED OVER 3,153 HRS OF OPERATING TIME, AND HAD NEVER BEEN OVERHAULED.
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
- Flight time: 107 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,697 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 13, 1993; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Bangor ME at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 2B7 Pittsfield ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from BGR, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.