Cessna 177 accident near Sidney, Ohio, August 9, 1984
On August 9, 1984 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3221T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sidney, Ohio. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1984 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sidney, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3221T · no longer on the register · serial 17700521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A CORN FIELD DURING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AFTER THE POWER FAILED TO RESPOND TO FULL THROTTLE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN DESCENDED FROM 3000 FT AGL WITH THROTTLE AT IDLE, FULL FLAPS AND CARBURETOR HEAT ON. IN TURNING 180 DEGREES AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL THE CFI RAISED THE FLAPS AND THE STALL WARNING HORN CAME ON. THE ACFT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE AND THE CFI REACHED TO ADVANCE THE THROTTLE BUT FOUND IT ALREADY ADVANCED. THE ENGINE REPORTEDLY DID NOT RESPOND AND THE ACFT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN AND IT RAN ROUGH ON LEFT MAG. IT WAS FOUND TO BE WORN IN THE DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK AND BEARINGS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,288 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 1,092 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,275 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I17 Piqua OH at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DAY, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.