Cessna 180B accident near Piscataquis County, Maine, September 19, 2014
On September 19, 2014 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1959 Cessna 180B, registered N180GK, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Piscataquis County, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue fracture of the No. 3 exhaust valve, which initiated at the outer surface of the valve stem and resulted in the subsequent total loss of engine power over terrain unsuitable for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2014 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Piscataquis County, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B, built 1959 · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N180GK · no longer on the register · serial 50509
- 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, while maneuvering the float airplane about 2,500 ft above ground level, he heard a "slight squeal" coming from the engine before it started to sputter. After the airplane had descended to about 1,500 ft, the engine and propeller "completely stopped." The pilot determined that the airplane would not reach a nearby lake and chose an unpaved road in the woods for the forced landing. The right wing struck a tree about 60 ft above the ground, and the airplane then impacted the road, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft could be rotated freely by hand, and removal of the oil sump revealed piston material and the No. 3 exhaust valve head, which was fractured at the stem below the head. Disassembly of the engine revealed normal wear and appearance on all of the cylinders except for the No. 3 cylinder, piston, and exhaust valve. Metallurgical examination of the No. 3 exhaust valve revealed that the fracture had initiated at the outer surface of the valve stem and that the valve had fractured due to fatigue at the transition of the stem to the valve.
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 engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,013 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2014; 42 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 605 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mud Pond ME
- Destination: Lake Ross ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from PQI, 74 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on August 26, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statement and Record of Interview | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Metallurgical Report (Cmi) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 1 – View of Main Wreckage (FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 2 – Main Wreckage Facing Opposite Direction of Travel (FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.