Cessna 177 accident near Lowell, Indiana, July 3, 1988
On July 3, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N30238, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lowell, Indiana (Lowell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- July 3, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lowell, Indiana · Lowell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N30238 · registry record · serial 17701142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DECIDED TO GO-AROUND AND ADDED FULL POWER, PUSHED THE CARBURETOR HEAT IN AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS TO '1/2'. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE COULD NOT GET A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. THE PILOT THEN NOTICED SOME TREES AHEAD OF HIM AND MADE A LEFT BANK TO AVOID THEM. DURING THE LEFT TURN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER BY LOWERING THE NOSE, ALTITUDE WAS LOST, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND, BOUNCED, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
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: student
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,191 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1987; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYY Gary IN at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,050 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from GYY, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.