Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bowman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Winthrop, Maine 04364
Saturday, August 27, 2005 9:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was owned by the pilot and he departed from his home airport without incident. Approximately 30 minutes later, witnesses observed the airplane descending toward a field. They further reported that they did not hear any engine noise, and the propeller was not turning, or turning "very slowly." The airplane's left wing struck a tree, before it rolled and "nose dived" to the ground. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Both fuel tanks remained intact. Approximately 2 to 2.5 gallons of yellow colored fuel was drained from both fuel tanks. A placard for automotive gasoline was observed near the fuel tank caps. The gascolator was drained and contained sediment and water. In addition, the carburetor contained about 1 ounce of fuel, with some sediment, and water. The time and quantity of the airplane's last refueling could not be determined. According to the owner's manual, the total fuel capacity was 39 gallons, with a total usable fuel in all flight conditions of 36 gallons. Two additional gallons of fuel was usable in level flight, and one gallon of fuel was unusable. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent inspection was a 100-hour inspection that was performed about 22 months prior to the accident. The airplane had been operated about 65 hours since the inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and a subsequent forced landing and impact with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/27/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 915 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Winthrop |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04364 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 441655N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0700026W |
| Event Location Airport | Bowman Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | B10 |
| 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 | 327 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 70 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AUG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 353 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21643 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NEROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 27 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 27 2007 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1680Y |
| NTSB Number | NYC05FA138 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17249380 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2250 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 165 |
| Airframe Hours | 5422 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Marc E. McDonnell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Winthrop |
| Aircraft Owner State | ME |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 04364 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | B10 |
| Departure City | Livermore Falls |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 845 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 25 2007 9:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |