Cessna 177RG accident near Columbus, Indiana, July 26, 1993
On July 26, 1993 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N1850Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Indiana (Greensburg-Decatur County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot in command's failure to maintain proper clearance. A factor involved in this accident is the pilot in command's failure to maintain a proper glidepath.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1993 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Indiana · Greensburg-Decatur County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1850Q · registry record · serial 177RGO250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL DIFFICULTIES, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO GREENSBURG-DECATUR, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A POWER LINE WITH ITS RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, DAMAGING ITS LOCKING MECHANISM. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO NEAR-BY COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING ON TWO GEAR.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,248 hours in all; 132 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,106 as pilot in command; 1,153 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,012 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1992; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASN Talladega AL at 11:00 pm
- Destination: I34 Greensburg IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.