Cessna 172M accident near Brownville Junc, Maine, August 12, 2004
On August 12, 2004 at about 11:30 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12959, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownville Junc, Maine. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the airplane's controlled flight into rising terrain. Factors included the instrument meteorological conditions and the rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2004 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Brownville Junc, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12959 · no longer on the register · serial 172262404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was instrument-qualified, was en route under visual meteorological conditions to pick up passengers. Along the almost straight-line course, she encountered instrument meteorological conditions, and the ceilings lowered as terrain elevations rose. The airplane subsequently impacted trees, on the rising terrain, while flying straight and level. There was no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical 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
Crew member
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,962 hours in all; 838 in this make and model; 11,981 as pilot in command; 3,921 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,671 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2004; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 06B Glenburn ME at 11:15 am
- Destination: NONE Lobster Lake ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:58 am from MLT, 25 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.