Cessna 177RG accident near Herington, Kansas, February 8, 2013
On February 8, 2013 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N88NG, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Herington, Kansas (Herington Reginal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2013 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Herington, Kansas · Herington Reginal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N88NG · registry record · serial 177RG1223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and two passengers were about 2 hours into a cross-country flight when they decided to land for a rest stop. The pilot reported that he saw some breaks in the clouds below him, so he descended to land at a nearby airport. When the pilot saw the runway, he realized that he was too close to land, so he circled for a better approach. The pilot stated that while turning onto the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he failed to maintain airspeed and stalled the airplane. The airplane impacted a muddy wheat field with the landing gear retracted and came to rest in an upright position. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall and fuselage.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,212 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 971 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,446.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2012
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8V3 Parkston SD
- Destination: KHRU Herington KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; ovct at 600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KFRI, 20 miles away
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.