Cessna 177B accident near War, West Virginia, November 15, 1992
On November 15, 1992, a Cessna 177B, registered N34664, was destroyed in an accident near War, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND THE PILOT ALLOWING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, DARKNESS, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDIITON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1992
- Place
- War, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34664 · no longer on the register · serial 17701928
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED THE AIRPORT DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT OBTAINED. THE FLIGHT WAS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND HEAVY SNOWFALL. WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRPLANE OVERHEAD BUT COULD NOT SEE IT UNTIL IT DESCENDED OUT FROM THE CLOUDS IN A 'TWISTING' MOTION. THE LEFT WING HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT IN POSITIVE BENDING, FOLLOWED BY THE RUDDER. THE REMAINDER OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1000 FEET FROM THE LEFT WING. NO PRE IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE AND DID NOT OBTAIN FLIGHT TRAINING IN IT.
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: student
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,738 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1992; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Litco Brokers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: I25 Welch WV
- Destination: 1A6 Middlesboro KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.