Cessna 177 accident near Mchenry, Maryland, October 29, 1989
On October 29, 1989 at about 4:19 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N30036, was destroyed in an accident near Mchenry, Maryland (Garrett County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE TAKEOFF AIRSPEED AS A RESULT OF AN IMPROPER FLAP SETTING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A TAKEOFF WITH A TAILWIND, AN UPSLOPING RUNWAY, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1989 · about 4:19 pm local time
- Place
- Mchenry, Maryland · Garrett County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N30036 · no longer on the register · serial 17701039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT TOOK OFF WITH WINDS THAT VARIED FROM A LEFT CROSSWIND TO A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE RWY SLOPES UPWARD, AND THE TERRAIN SLOPES DOWN PAST THE RWY END. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, ALTHOUGH THE ACFT CLIMBED SLOWLY, AND THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING THE ENTIRE TIME. THE ACFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN, DESCENDED AND CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED 30 DEGREES (FULL DOWN). ACCORDING TO AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA THE BEST RATE OF CLIMB WITH 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS IS ABOUT 310 FPM, BASED ON STANDARD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE ABOUT 4000 FT.
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: 1,942 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 1,433 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,515 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 20, 1987; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rdl INC.
The flight
- Destination: 3G2 Washington PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,495 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from MGW
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.