Cessna 172M accident near Portland, Maine, September 1, 1995
On September 1, 1995 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6564H, was destroyed in an accident near Portland, Maine (Portland Intl Jetport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an engine malfunction for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a forced landing which resulted in an accelerated stall. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1995 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Maine · Portland Intl Jetport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6564H · no longer on the register · serial 17265489
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, while climbing through about 400 ft AGL, the pilot transmitted, '...I just lost.' Some witnesses saw smoke trailing from the airplane as it descended to just above the runway. Still in the air, and nearing the departure end of the runway, the airplane then climbed to about 100 ft, and entered a left turn which was described by witnesses as at least 60 degrees of bank. Some witnesses reported the engine was smooth, while others reported the engine was erratic. While in the turn, the airplane descended, struck the ground nose first, came to rest inverted, and burned. In a test run, the engine produced takeoff power. The pilot had flown 6.5 hours in past 12 months. The pilot received a checkout in the airplane in July 1995. According to the instructor who gave the checkout flight, neither accelerated stalls nor simulated forced landings were done during the checkout.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 992 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 880 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,840 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1995; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PWM at 3:14 pm
- Destination: CQX Chatham MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 8,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:31 pm from PWM, 1 miles away
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.