Cessna 177RG N2797V

Summary

On 11 September 1996 at about 18:37 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N2797V was involved in an accident near Colorado Sprngs, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 1996 at 18:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Sprngs, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

38.8801, -104.8304

Aircraft

Cessna 177RG

Registration

N2797V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96LA384

Nobody was injured.

The improper installation of the propeller governor by company maintenance personnel, resulting in the total loss of oil and engine seizure. Factors were the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and airspeed, causing him to make a forced landing on unsuitable terrain and collide with a tree and motor vehicles.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A factory overhauled engine had been installed in the airplane and the pilot took off on a maintenance test flight. Eleven minutes later, the pilot reported a 'runaway prop.' The engine seized shortly thereafter. The pilot attempted to return to the airport, but was too far away. He selected a soccer field on which to make a forced landing, but misjudged his airspeed and altitude and overshot. The pilot landed on a street and collided with two vehicles. Removal of the propeller governor disclosed maintenance personnel had failed to install one of two required gaskets and a governor pad as required by Textron Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1438, dated July 9, 1987. This allowed engine oil to be depleted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.