Cessna 177RG accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, January 17, 2010
On January 17, 2010 at about 1:40 am local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N53120, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Eastern Iowa airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while flying an instrument approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in actual instrument conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2010 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Eastern Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N53120 · no longer on the register · serial 177RG1349
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot's original destination was below weather minimums so he diverted to another airport. He flew the approach to runway 9 with one receiver/navigational unit tuned to the global positioning system (GPS) approach and one tuned to the instrument landing system (ILS) approach. He reported that he began getting conflicting information between the GPSs so he executed a missed approach. The pilot reported that during the second approach he had trouble maintaining the glideslope and he had to keep adding power to maintain a proper descent rate. He then received erratic information and needle oscillations on both glideslope indicators. The pilot stated that he was at full power, so he did not have additional power in order to climb for a missed approach. The pilot believes that the left wing stalled about 600 feet above the ground. He stated that he was in “some kind of spin” or unusual attitude with the “nose slightly downward and tilted slightly to the left.” The pilot reported that the last memory he has prior to impact was pulling up. The airplane impacted the terrain in an open field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. Radar data indicated that from the time the airplane was established on the approach up until the last minute of data available, the aircraft’s ground track varied from 97 degrees to 70 degrees, with a descent rate of approximately 500 feet per minute. The airplane’s rate of descent during the last 46 seconds of radar data increased to about 800 feet per minute and the heading changed from 95 degrees to 119 degrees, then to 13 degrees. The approaches were checked after the accident with no anomalies found. The pilot received his instrument rating two weeks prior to the accident. He reported having about 5 hours of actual instrument flight time and about 72 hours of simulated instrument flight time.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total instrument experience › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 341 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 269 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 2, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,666 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I69 Batavia OH at 10:05 pm
- Destination: CID Cedar Rapids IA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 am from CID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.