Cessna 177RG accident near Pell City, Alabama, June 23, 1984
On June 23, 1984 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N7554V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pell City, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1984 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pell City, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N7554V · registry record · serial 177RG0850
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF SEQUENCE, THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR HINGE FAILED, ALLOWING THE DOOR TO SEPARATE AND PROGRESSIVELY BLOCK THE INDUCTION AIR SYSTEM TO THE POINT THAT INSUFFICIENT POWER WAS AVAILABLE TO SUSTAIN FURTHER FLIGHT. A FORCED LANDING WAS EFFECTED IN A COW PASTURE. THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR CONDITION INSPECTION UNDER ROUTINE PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES (COWLING REMOVAL REQUIRED).
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,211 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 935 as pilot in command; 4 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 691 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1984; 5 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: PLR Pell City AL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: PLR Pell City AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from BHM, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.