Cessna 177 accident near Lusby, Maryland, May 10, 1992
On May 10, 1992 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N177RD, was destroyed in an accident near Lusby, Maryland (Chesapeake Ranch Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1992 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lusby, Maryland · Chesapeake Ranch Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N177RD · registry record · serial 17700419
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND LOST PARTIAL POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ABOUT 250 FT BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CARBURETOR WAS DISASSEMBLED, AND ALL COMPONENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR EXCEPT THE PRIMARY VENTURI. TWO OF THE THREE LEGS WHICH RETAINS THE VENTURI WERE SEPARATED, THE THIRD WAS COMPLETELY MISSING. VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE TWO SEPARATED LEGS REVEALED A MELTED AND RESOLIDIFIED APPEARANCE. ONE LEG PIECE WAS REMOVED FROM THE THROTTLE BODY, ULTRASONICALLY CLEANED IN ACETONE, AND SUBJECTED TO X-RAY ENERGY DISPERSIVE SPECTROSCOPY (EDS) IN AREAS THAT HAD A FRESH METAL APPEARANCE. THIS ANALYSIS GENERATED SPECTRA WITH LARGE ZINC PEAKS AND A MUCH SMALLER PEAK FOR ALUMINUM.
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: 300 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Dennis Construction INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from NHK, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.