Cessna 177B accident near Springfield, Virginia, September 6, 1986
On September 6, 1986 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34953, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- September 6, 1986 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34953 · no longer on the register · serial 17702114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ENG BGN RUNNING ROUGH DRG FLT, THEN CLRD & RAN SMOOTHLY AGAIN. HE RPRTD HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE FLT & MADE A TURN, THEN SVRL MIN LATER, THE ENG LOST PWR. DRG AN EMERG LNDG IN A PARKING LOT, THE L MAIN GEAR HIT ANAUTO & FATALLY INJURED THE DRIVER. BFR COMING TO REST ON AN EMBANKMENT, THE ACFT HIT 2 OTR AUTOS & A GUY WIRE. WITNESSESRPRTD THE ACFT WAS CIRCLING THE AREA BFR THE ENG LOST PWR. A FRIEND OF THE PLT WAS LIVING APRX 2 BLKS FM THE ACDNT SITE.NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. DRG A POST-ACDNT CHECK, THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY. AN INV REVEALED CONDS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR (CARB) ICING. THE PLT MADE NO MENTION OF SPECIFICALLY USING THE CARB HEAT DRG THE EMERG. ALSO, THE INV REVEALED THE PLACARD FOR THE FUEL SELECTOR (SEL) WAS DESIGNED TO RESTRICT MVMNT OF THE SEL TO THE L & RGT PSNS (NO 'OFF' PSN), BUT THE PLACARD WAS FND OUTSIDE THE ACFT WITH NO DMG. SEL WAS FND IN A PSN THAT WLD HAVE SHUT OFF FUEL TO THE ENG. THE PLT RPRTD HE SHUT OFF THE FUEL WHEN HE WAS COMMITTED TO LND. FLT TIME SINCE ANNUAL INSPN: 4.4 HRS.
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: 510 hours in all; 444 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 281 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,358 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1986; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MD24 Columbia MD at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DCA, 10 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.