Cessna 172 accident near Lincoln, Maine, October 9, 1991
On October 9, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N76101, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lincoln, Maine. It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE TRANSMISSION LINES. A FACTOR WAS THE SUNGLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1991 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Maine
- 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
- N76101 · no longer on the register · serial 17268124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAYTIME APPROACH TO A RIVER, THE PILOT OF FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN OVER THE AREA TO LOOK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS, BUT HAD FAILED TO OBSERVE THE LINES ACROSS THE RIVER. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE VERTICAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE WIRES. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SUNGLARE FROM THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 690 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 630 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Morrison And Sylvester, INC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Turner ME at 4:05 pm
- Destination: NONE Howland ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.