Cessna 172A accident near Glenburn, Maine, May 26, 2009
On May 26, 2009 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N6843X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Glenburn, Maine (Lucky Landings Marina & 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 misjudgment of distance and speed during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2009 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Glenburn, Maine · Lucky Landings Marina & Spb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N6843X · registry record · serial 47743
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on runway 01, a 1,900-foot-long grass runway. He stated that he was “too high, too fast on final.” The airplane overran the end of the runway, went up an embankment, and sustained substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The winds reported at an airport 6 miles to the south of the accident location were 210 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,210 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,090 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 9, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 2009
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Bangor ME at 4:15 pm
- Destination: Glenburn ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 1,900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 150 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 4:40 pm from BGR, 6 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.