Cessna 177RG accident near Charleston, West Virginia, March 11, 1985
On March 11, 1985 at about 11:17 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N1625H, was destroyed in an accident near Charleston, West Virginia (Kanawha airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured. 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
- March 11, 1985 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · Kanawha · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1625H · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0798
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN BEFORE OBTAINING THE EN ROUTE WX. HE THEN REVISED THE FLT PLAN BY EXTENDING THE PLANNED FLT FROM WASHINGTON, DC, (DULLES) TO CHARLESTON, WV. THE PLT DID NOT OBTAIN WX INFO PERTINENT TO REVISED FLT PLAN. THE PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CESSNA 177RG HANDBOOK AND UNDERESTIMATED FUEL ON BOARD. HE ALSO DID NOT RELY ON FUEL GAGES OR PERFORM FUEL CALCULATIONS WHILE EN ROUTE. POSSIBLE REFUELING POINTS WERE OVERFLOWN. THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES 1 MILE FROM THE DESTINATION ARPT, 4 HRS AND 17 MINS AFTER TAKEOFF. THE FLT PLAN WAS FILED FOR 3 HRS AND 20 MINS. ONLY 3 OZS OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE HANDBOOK LISTS 1 GALLON OF FUEL AS BEING UNUSABLE.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,075 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 522 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,759 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1984; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 6,302 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from CRW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 2 |
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.