Cessna 177 accident near Iron River, Michigan, February 24, 2025
On February 24, 2025 at about 4:10 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 177, registered N34284, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Iron River, Michigan (Stambaugh 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 airplane’s collision with runway lights during takeoff due to reduced airplane climb performance. Contributing to the accident was the shifting winds during takeoff which likely developed into a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2025 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Iron River, Michigan · Stambaugh · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 B, built 1972 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N34284 · registry record · serial 17701749
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that before takeoff he calculated the airplane weight to be 104 lbs below maximum gross weight, the takeoff distance to be about 985 ft, and estimated the wind to be from 250° at 15 knots gusting to 30 knots. The pilot departed from runway 17 and rotated the airplane for takeoff about 1,250 ft down the 2,000 ft runway. He noted that the airplane did not climb as expected, and he kept the airplane wings level in ground effect, but the airplane drifted left and collided with the runway end lights. The pilot continued the initial climb and realized that the right main landing gear tire had separated from the airplane. He continued to his destination airport and landed on the runway without further incident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Following the accident, the pilot assessed that wind may have shifted to a tailwind resulting in a loss of airplane performance. The closest aviation weather reporting facility was 25 nautical miles from the departure airport which reported a variable wind from 260° to 320° at 14 knots gusting to 24 knots.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,644 hours in all; 954 in this make and model; 1.5 in the last 90 days; 1.5 in the last 30 days; 1,599 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,472.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 2024
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 4,472 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y73 Iron River MI
- Destination: KEGV Eagle River WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.41 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KLNL, 25 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLNL 241635Z AUTO 28014G24KT 260V320 10SM SCT048 09/M02 A2941 RMK AO2 T00891023=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2025. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement - Incident Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photo | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Klnl METAR | PDF, 1 page | 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.