Cessna 172 accident near Naples, Maine, October 3, 2008
On October 3, 2008 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N20921, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Naples, Maine (Brandy Pond Spb airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the wet condition of the grass runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2008 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Naples, Maine · Brandy Pond Spb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N20921 · registry record · serial 17263869
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After removing the floats from the Cessna 172M, the pilot taxied from the north end of the grass runway to the south end, to conduct a brake test confirming the brakes were operational. He then back-taxied the airplane to the north end of the approximate 1,200-foot-long, 75-foot-wide runway. During the taxi, the pilot noticed the grass runway was wet and rougher than expected and conducted a high-speed taxi test prior to takeoff to determine handling capability. The pilot conducted a short-field takeoff and the airplane accelerated normally. As the airplane crossed over a high spot, created by a culvert under the runway, the airplane began sliding on the grass towards the left side of the runway. The pilot applied more right aileron, then rudder, and then some right brake. At this point, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. He brought the throttle to idle, applied the brakes, and shut off the magnetos. As the airplane slowed, the left wing contacted a tree, which pivoted the nose of the airplane into brush as it came to a stop approximately 600 feet beyond the north end of the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage upon impact with the tree.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 599 hours in all; 371 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 543 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,099 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Onawa LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 5ME Brandy Pond Spb ME at 6:57 pm
- Destination: 1B0 Dexter ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from LEW, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.