Cessna 177RG accident near Concord City, North Carolina, April 16, 1993
On April 16, 1993 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N44BG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord City, North Carolina (Goodnight airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HIS DELAYED DECISION TO EXECUTE A GO AROUND. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STRONG GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1993 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Concord City, North Carolina · Goodnight · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N44BG · registry record · serial 177RG0321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT, DUE TO THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, HE ATTEMPTED THE APPROACH WITH A HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPROACH SPEED. HE STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH WITH APPROXIMATELY 1300 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING. HE STATED HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND ADDED FULL POWER. HE SAID THAT AFTER THE APPLICATION OF FULL POWER, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND HE STRUCK THE 80 FOOT TREES OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT, AND A GROUND WITNESS MADE NO MENTION OF OBSERVING OR HEARING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE PRIOR TO THE CRASH. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION, AND THERE WAS CORDWISE SCRATCHING AND TWISTING TOWARD LOW PITCH OF THE PROPELLER.
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: 337 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 310 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6JB Saluda NC at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from CLT, 270 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.