Cessna 177RG accident near Wilmington, North Carolina, May 29, 2003
On May 29, 2003 at about 7:19 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N33223, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilmington, North Carolina (Ocracoke Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. A factor was the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2003 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, North Carolina · Ocracoke Island · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N33223 · registry record · serial 177RG0927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, upon arriving at the destination airport , he established an approach to runway 24. During the landing roll the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with a ditch. Examination of the airplane revealed the left wing was buckled. The firewall and cockpit floor were also buckled. No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilot or found during the examination of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 125 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,995 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 2003; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W95 Ocracoke NC at 8:15 pm
- Destination: ILM Wilmington NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 7:19 pm from ILM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.