Cessna 177 accident near Houston, Texas, May 30, 2009
On May 30, 2009 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N2872X, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Houston, Texas. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2009 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2872X · no longer on the register · serial 17700272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, prior to departure he had "four inches of fuel on his fuel stick" which equated to eight gallons of fuel on his fuel reference chart. He intended to fly for thirty minutes. At the time of the accident the pilot estimated that he had thirty minutes or four gallons of fuel remaining. He was cleared for landing when the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. During the forced landing the airplane struck a telephone pole resulting in substantial damage to the right wing; the wing spar and ribs were bent. An examination of both fuel tanks, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed less than a quart of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies. According to the fuel consumption charts located in the pilot operating handbook for a Cessna 177, the flight as planned would have required between six and eight gallons of fuel. According to the handbook, there is one gallon of unusable fuel in this airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,956 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TE88 Rosharon TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: DWH Tomball TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KDWH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.