Cessna 140 accident near Farmington, Maine, October 11, 1994
On October 11, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2450V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, Maine (Young'S Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, Maine · Young'S Airstrip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2450V · registry record · serial 14703
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A FLIGHT FROM ONE AIRSTRIP TO ANOTHER. AFTER ONE LANDING AND TAKEOFF, THE PILOT FLEW BACK TO THE DEPARTURE AIRSTRIP, WHERE HE PERFORMED A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING. AFTER LANDING HE BACK TAXIED AND DEPARTED TO THE NORTH. AT 250 FEET AGL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND PRIMED THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE SURGED BRIEFLY AND QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT THEN PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A SWAMPY AREA. INVESTIGATION REVEALED 6 GALLONS OF AVIATION 100LL IN THE LEFT TANK AND 3 1/2 GALLONS OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN ON THE AIRPLANE AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 12 1/2 GALLON FUEL TANK IN EACH WING, AND THE OPERATIONS MANUAL STATED NOT TO TAKEOFF ON LESS THAN 1/4 TANK.
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: 1,250 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,065 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1994; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 11:10 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from WVL, 23 miles away
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.
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 NYC95LA006.