Cessna 177B accident near Owasso, Oklahoma, July 12, 2010
On July 12, 2010 at about 1:10 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N345MT, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Owasso, Oklahoma (Gundy'S 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an engine-out approach to the runway, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2010 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Owasso, Oklahoma · Gundy'S Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N345MT · no longer on the register · serial 17702031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
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.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 314 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 9,999 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,439 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: N345Mt LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 1K4 Goldsby OK
- Destination: O38 Owasso OK
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.