Cessna 177RG N217AF
12 August 1994 · So. Lake Tahoe, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 August 1994 at about 01:02 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N217AF was involved in an accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:02
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- So. Lake Tahoe, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Lake Tahoe (TVL)
- Coordinates
- 38.8406, -120.0101
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG
- Registration
- N217AF
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Groveland
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94FA318
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to take off from a high density altitude airport at an over allowable gross weight condition. Factors in the accident were the high density altitude, down drafts, and the pilot's lack of familiarity operting from high density altitude airports.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE DEPARTING A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT AT A HIGH GROSS WEIGHT, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED ABOUT 50 FEET AND DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TREES ABOUT 1/2-MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTATIONS PLACED THE AIRPLANE OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED AT 8,493 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND DOWNDRAFTS AT THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S FLIGHT EXPERIENCE REVEALED HE HAD OPERATED AT ONE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT IN THE PAST, WHERE HE ACCOMPLISHED ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 177 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1994 | Cessna 177RG | Longmont, Colorado, United States | Debruzzi, Michael S. | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1994 | Cessna 177RG | Laytonville, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Dec 1994 | Cessna 177 | Katy, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Apr 1994 | Cessna 177RG | Sedona, Arizona, United States | Cheryl E. Aurand | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jun 1994 | Cessna 177 | Watonga, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 31 Mar 1994 | Cessna 177RG | Charlotte, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,744 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-28R-201 | Fort Bragg, California, United States | Sundance Flying Club | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 May 1994 | Schweizer G-164B | Yuba City, California, United States | Sutter Butte Dusters, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Sep 1994 | Cessna T210L | Kettleman City, California, United States | Willie Alves Rodrigues | No injuries | - |
| 13 May 1994 | Maule M-5-235C | Columbia, California, United States | White, James L. | No injuries | - |
| 19 May 1994 | Cessna 150L | Rio Linda, California, United States | Hinckley, Thomas, F. | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Sep 1994 | Robinson R-22 | Chico, California, United States | Sierra Aviation | No injuries | - |