Cessna 172N accident near Leeds, Maine, August 7, 1993
On August 7, 1993 at about 5:19 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739EP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leeds, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1993 · about 5:19 pm local time
- Place
- Leeds, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739EP · registry record · serial 17270487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS OVERFLYING A CAMPSITE, LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC CAMPERS. HE REDUCED POWER TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHEN HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE, THE POWER REDUCTION WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE THROTTLE MOVEMENT. HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE ESTABLISHED GLIDE SPEED AND AS HE WAS CHECKING THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR, CARBURETOR HEAT, AND MIXTURE CONTROL, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE. THE WING SEPARATED AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. THE INVESTIGATION INCLUDED A OPERATIONAL TEST OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS SATISFACTORILY OPERATED AND LIMITED TO 1100 RPM BECAUSE OF ENGINE MOUNT DAMAGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2,415 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,698 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1993; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81B Oxford ME at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N739EP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.