Cessna 172 accident near Norridgewock, Maine, February 13, 2000
On February 13, 2000 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5679R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norridgewock, Maine (Central Maine Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's loss of directional control during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2000 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Norridgewock, Maine · Central Maine Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5679R · registry record · serial 17253319
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot said he flew with his instructor approximately 1 hour before departing on his solo flight. During the flight, the student pilot performed several takeoffs and landings to include both touch-and-go and full stop. At the completion of the training flight, the airplane was serviced with fuel and another pre-flight inspection was completed. The student pilot said his instructor provided a complete briefing, and he departed on his solo flight. During the takeoff roll, the airplane yawed to the left, overan a patch of ice, yawed further left and struck a snowbank. Both the student pilot and the instructor reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with 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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 11 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,090 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1999; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0WK at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from WVL, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.