Cessna 177B accident near Raleigh, Illinois, February 12, 1990
On February 12, 1990 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N35100, was substantially damaged in an accident near Raleigh, Illinois. 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT AND FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE UNRELIABLE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1990 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Raleigh, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N35100 · registry record · serial 17702206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN LEVEL CRUISE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THEN LOST POWER COMPLETELY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED RESTART PROCEDURES WITHOUT SUCCESS, AND CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A MUDDY FIELD, WHERE THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF USABLE FUEL ON BOARD, AND NO INDICATION OF SPILLED FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1989; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-1AF6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H07 Highland IL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: HSB Harrisburg IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.