Cessna 177B accident near Owasso, Oklahoma, July 12, 2010

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot and passengers were on the return leg of a cross-country flight. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane approach the airfield in a left turn before losing altitude in a spin. The airplane impacted the ground in a left-wing and nose-low attitude just north and slightly east of the runway. Two witnesses added that the airplane was quiet as it approached the airport; a third witness thought the airplane’s engine was “cutting in-and-out”. A postaccident examination revealed that both wing tanks were intact and contained no fuel. The grass area underneath each fuel tank did not indicate fuel contamination or fuelblight. The firewall fuel strainer, which sustained impact damage, was absent debris and fuel. The carburetor received impact damage and two of its front attachment bolts were broken. The carburetor’s fuel bowl drain plug was removed and contained only a few drops of fuel. Inspection of the engine and propeller revealed the absence of power signatures. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction prior to the accident. The accident is consistent with the airplane entering a stall/spin as a result of the pilot allowing the airspeed to decay in an attempt to reach the runway in an engine-out situation.

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.