Raymond Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phillips, Maine 04966
Wednesday, July 24, 1991 12:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF WITH THE FLAPS SET AT 30 DEGREES, ON AN UPHILL RUNWAY INTO THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED AT OR NEAR ITS GROSS WEIGHT. THERE WAS RISING TERRAIN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH EXCEEDED THE ABILITY OF THE AIRPLANE TO CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE WING FLAPS WERE AT 35 DEGREES AND THE PILOT WHEN INTERVIEWED SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. HE SAID HE USED THE 30 DEGREE FLAP SETTING TO GET AIRBORNE FASTER. IN THE CESSNA 172M OWNER'S MANUAL, FLAP SETTINGS GREATER THAN 10 DEGREES ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE WING FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S MISUNDERSTANDING OF AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE, AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO TAKEOFF UPHILL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PHILLIPS
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04966
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAYMOND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 558
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1537
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45385
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N85HC
NTSB Number NYC91FA188
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17264426
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 28 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 3783
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEO A PRATT
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR#2 BOX 4020
Aircraft Owner City SABATTUS
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04280
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LEO A PRATT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR#2 BOX 4020
Operator City SABATTUS
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 04280
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1208
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3B5
Destination City TURNER
Destination State ME
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 2300
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --