History of Flight
On September 17, 2011, at 0813 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9932V, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Greenville, Maine. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, which departed Greenville Municipal Airport (3B1). The evening before, the pilot told a friend he would fly out to visit the next morning. Witnesses observed the airplane circling at low altitude in left turns about 1 mile southwest of the airport, with the pilot waving. During the third and final circle, the airplane pitched nose up, decelerated, then pitched nose down steeply and descended. It rotated left with the nose still down, turned approximately 180 degrees, and disappeared from view. An impact was heard shortly after.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He had been involved in a previous accident on October 20, 2007 (NTSB NYC08CA017), when he struck tree tops during touch-and-go landings at night and landed hard, substantially damaging a Cessna 152. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on May 17, 2011. He had accrued 2,310.7 total flight hours.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a four-seat, single-engine, strut-braced, high-wing airplane of conventional metal construction, with non-retractable tricycle landing gear. It was powered by a carbureted, 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320-E2D engine. Manufactured in 1974, its most recent annual inspection was completed on March 30, 2011, and it had 6,499 total hours at the time of the accident. The airplane was equipped with a stall warning system and standard flight instruments arranged in a basic T-configuration.
Meteorological Information
At 0756, the recorded weather at 3B1 included variable winds at 4 knots, temperature 8°C, dew point 3°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.35 inches of mercury. Visibility and sky conditions were missing from the automated report, but witnesses reported no obstructions to visibility.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction. The airplane struck trees about 20 feet above ground level before impacting in an approximate 35-degree nose-down attitude in heavily wooded terrain. A 15-foot-wide by 45-foot-long wreckage path began at the first tree strike, oriented on a magnetic heading of 225 degrees. All major components were present. The fuselage exhibited crush and compression damage; the right wing separated and was fragmented into two sections; the left wing was folded back at about 45 degrees. Both fuel caps were closed. Control continuity was confirmed to cable breaks showing tensile overload. The wing flaps were up, throttle 3/4 open, and mixture full rich. Cabin doors were closed and locked. Propeller damage indicated power at impact, and engine continuity and compression were confirmed. Oil was present, spark plugs were normal, and magnetos produced spark. The carburetor was clean and functional.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma. Toxicological testing detected 12% carbon monoxide in blood; acetaminophen, cotinine, ibuprofen, and nicotine in urine; nicotine in blood; tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) in lung (1.0809 ug/ml) but not in blood; tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid in urine, liver, and lung but not in blood.
Tests and Research
A Garmin GPSMAP 496 was recovered. Data showed that at 08:12:44, the airplane was at a GPS altitude of 1,661 feet and groundspeed 62 mph. Two seconds later, at 08:12:46, altitude was 1,522 feet (452 feet above ground level) and groundspeed 51 mph. According to the Cessna 172M Owner's Manual, stall speed (power off, maximum gross weight, aft center of gravity) is 57 mph. Published data indicate altitude loss during stall recovery could be up to 250 feet, and at least 1,000 feet of altitude loss should be allowed for a one-turn spin and recovery. The pilot's flight instructor reported that the pilot sometimes flew uncoordinated, especially during steep turns, where the turn coordinator ball would be "1/2 ball out," indicating a slip or skid. The manual states the airplane is inherently resistant to spins, but intentional spins require specific control inputs. The NTSB data indicate that more fatal accidents occur in maneuvering flight than any other category, often at low altitudes with stalls or loss of control.