Cessna 172K accident near Island Falls, Maine, August 15, 1988
On August 15, 1988 at about 1:05 am local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N1183M, was destroyed in an accident near Island Falls, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S POOR IN-INFLIGHT DECISIONS AND PLANNING AND FAILED TO FOLLOW ATC DIRECTIVES TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE PILOT CONTINUED VFR INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1988 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Island Falls, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1183M · registry record · serial 17258683
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT FLEW INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND COLLIDED WITH WOODED TERRAIN DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURES/MALFUNCTIONS. THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED THE BANGOR AFSS WHILE EN ROUTE AND STATED HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAIN VFR FLIGHT. THE AFSS COULD NOT ESTABLISH A DF STEER ON THE AIRPLANE AND THE PILOT WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT BOSTON CENTER. CENTER DID ESTABLISH RADAR CONTACT. VECTORS AND MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDES WERE ISSUED FOR A ROUTE TO HOULTON. WHILE EN ROUTE TO HOULTON, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS DISORIENTED AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR.
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: 48 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,571 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 1988; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cyr Qwik Stop, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Saint Leonard
- Destination: Bangor ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from HUL, 17 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.
Other NTSB records under N1183M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC88FA218.