Cessna 177B accident near Olney, Illinois, March 14, 1992
On March 14, 1992 at about 2:08 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N1271C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olney, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT CARBURETOR HEAT IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. RELATED FACTORS ARE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN SNOW, LOW CEILINGS, THE DARK NIGHT, AND SOFT TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1992 · about 2:08 am local time
- Place
- Olney, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1271C · no longer on the register · serial 17702694
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4,000 FEET MSL IN IMC AND HEAVY SNOW WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. RESTART AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FARM FIELD. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO SERIOUS INDUCTION SYSTEM ICING AT CRUISE POWER SETTINGS.
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: 148 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1991; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jet Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BNA Nashville TN
- Destination: PIA Peoria IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.