Cessna 177 accident near Harrisville, Michigan, March 22, 2020
On March 22, 2020 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 177, registered N3451T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Harrisville, Michigan (Harrisville Municipal 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing rollout in gusty crosswind conditions, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2020 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harrisville, Michigan · Harrisville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 Undesignat, built 1968 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3451T · registry record · serial 17700751
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on a narrow grass runway and was about midfield when the airplane encountered a gusty crosswind that pushed the airplane to the left. The pilot countered with right rudder, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck trees, substantially damaging the left wing. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that contributed to the accident.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5Y0 Harrisville MI at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 5Y0 Harrisville MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,140 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.53 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from 5Y0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 2, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report W Pilot Graphic Submission CEN20LA130 | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array CEN20 LA130 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.