Cessna 172 accident near Greenville, Maine, April 30, 2009
On April 30, 2009 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N739RH, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Greenville, Maine (Greenville Municipal 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 premature rotation during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2009 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Maine · Greenville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739RH · no longer on the register · serial 17270741
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was repositioning his floatplane from a land-based airport to a seaplane base. The takeoff was performed using a dolly, towed by a pickup truck with a 60-foot rope. He stated that the tow vehicle accelerated to flying speed; however, he prematurely rotated. The airplane did not have enough airspeed for the pilot to be able to maintain control. He climbed to an altitude of approximately 60 feet, stalled the airplane, and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and firewall. The recorded wind at a weather station three miles west of the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was variable at 5 knots. The pilot reported that the engine was operating properly and that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,683 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3B1 Greenville ME at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Penobscot Lake ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from GNR, 3 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.