Cessna C177B accident near Northport, Michigan, July 10, 1990
On July 10, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna C177B, registered N20126, was destroyed in an accident near Northport, Michigan (Woolsey Memorial 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
PILOT'S DELAYED DECISION TO ABORT THE LANDING, AND THE AIRCRAFT'S RESULTANT INADEQUATE CLEARANCE/ALTITUDE AND IMPACT WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Northport, Michigan · Woolsey Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C177B
- Registration
- N20126 · registry record · serial 17702632
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED LONG AND FAST ON A SHORT, GRASS RUNWAY WITH A SLIGHT DOWNSLOPE. HE DECIDED HE 'WOULDN'T GET STOPPED BEFORE HITTING AN EARTHWORK DAM (LOCATED) NORTH OF THE RUNWAY END.' HE ATTEMPTED TO GO-AROUND, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR SOME TREES IN THE WOODED AREA OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, NOSE UP, IN THE HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE PILOT STATED THAT 'AN EARLIER DECISION TO ABORT WOULD HAVE AVOIDED 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 878 hours in all; 17 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 526 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1FD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,650 ft by 140 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from TVC, 26 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.