Cessna 172P accident near Greenville, Maine, June 1, 1982
On June 1, 1982 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52178, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1982 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52178 · no longer on the register · serial 172-74428
- 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 DURING TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER THE FLOAT PLANE HAD CLIMBED ABOUT 200 TO 300 FT. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED, BUT THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE EFFECT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE PLANE STARTED TO SETTLE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY GAINED FULL POWER. AFTER REGAINING AIRSPEED AND REENTERING A CLIMB, THERE WAS ANOTHER PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND CRASH LANDED IN A WOODED AREA.
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: 773 hours in all; 239 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 690 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 443 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 113 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Turner Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Moosehead Lake ME at 1:15 pm
- Destination: Chamberlain Lak ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.