Cessna 177B accident near Hatteras, North Carolina, October 9, 1988
On October 9, 1988 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N17223, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hatteras, North Carolina (Billy Mitchell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- October 9, 1988 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hatteras, North Carolina · Billy Mitchell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N17223 · registry record · serial 17702521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE INITIALLY FLARED TOO HIGH DURING THE LANDING. HE RECOVERED AND THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY TOUCHED DOWN 'FIRMLY' ON THE MAIN GEAR. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RT 'AS IF THE RT BRAKE WAS LOCKED'. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE LDG & THE ACFT PANCAKED INTO A DUNE ADJACENT TO THE RWY. A MECHANIC WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AFTERWARD REPORTED THAT THE PLT STATED TO HIM THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD LANDED HARD. THE MECH REPORTED FINDING THAT THE RT WHEEL AXLE WAS BENT WHICH HAD RESULTED IN THE FWD SIDE OF THE TIRE BEING DISPLACED OTBD. NO EVIDENCE OF BRAKE MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. ACCORDING TO THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY, THE ARPT HAD NO RWY LIGHTS AND CLOSED 30 MINUTES AFTER SUNSET. LOCAL SUNSET OCCURRED AT 1835, ACCORDING TO THE NWS. THE PLT REPORTED THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AT 1930. A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WHO INVESTIGATED THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT IT OCCURRED AT ABOUT 1955.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 271 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 1988; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Boyertown Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: I07 Summersville WV at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,000 ft by 76 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from HAT
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.
Other NTSB records under N17223 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.