Cessna 172P accident near Greenville, Maine, July 1, 1994
On July 1, 1994 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5482K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Maine. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS BY THE PILOT AFTER TAKEOFF, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF LIFT AND COLLISION WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1994 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5482K · no longer on the register · serial 17274148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF HE RAISED THE WING FLAPS. AT THIS TIME, THERE WAS A LOSS OF LIFT AND THE AIRPLANE 'MUSHED' INTO THE TREES. HE SAID THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS MARGINAL WHEN EQUIPPED WITH THE FLOATS. HE REPORTED THE WINDS AS 8 TO 10 KNOTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,340 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,130 as pilot in command; 105 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1994; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 215° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.
Other NTSB records under N5482K 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.