Cessna 172M accident near Eliot, Maine, October 9, 2004
On October 9, 2004 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80657, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eliot, Maine (Pease International Tradeport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning decision, which resulted a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2004 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eliot, Maine · Pease International Tradeport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80657 · registry record · serial 17266693
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was inbound for landing when the engine began to alternately lose and gain power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a corn field, and the airplane's nose gear, and both wings were damaged. Examination of the airplane revealed no visible fuel in both of the airplane's fuel tanks. When the fuel line from carburetor was removed, it yielded, "a few drops of fuel." In addition, there was no evidence of a fuel spill in the area surrounding the accident site. The airplane's fuel system contained 38 gallons of useable fuel, and the airplane had been operated for 4.4 hours since it was last refueled.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BHB Bar Harbor ME at 12:40 pm
- Destination: DAW Rochester NH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from SFM, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.