Cessna 177B accident near Huntsville, Alabama, May 27, 1991
On May 27, 1991 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N19823, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntsville, Alabama (Huntsville International 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 REMOVE THE CONTROL LOCK PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING FLIGHT AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE 'BEFORE TAKEOFF' CHECKLIST. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1991 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Huntsville International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N19823 · no longer on the register · serial 17702604
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER SHUTDOWN A BOLT WAS USED AS A FLIGHT CONTROL LOCK ON THE YOKE. IT WAS NOT FLAGGED. THE FLAGGED CONTROL LOCK PIN HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MISPLACED. WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPLANE ON MONDAY HE FAILED TO REMOVE THE BOLT DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. HE TAXIED TO THE RUNUP AREA & NOTED THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR HAD NOT ERECTED. HE SKIPPED TO THE ENGINE RUNUP ON THE CHECKLIST & FAILED TO CHECK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE BOLT WAS REMEMBERED. HE TRIED TO REMOVE THE BOLT, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE. THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN & THE AIRPLANE HIT THE RWY NOSE GEAR FIRST.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,043 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,868 as pilot in command; 1,518 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ABY Albany GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from HSV, 1 miles away
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.