Cessna 177B accident near Nappanee, Indiana, July 1, 1995
On July 1, 1995 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N13734, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nappanee, Indiana. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to do adequate preflight planning and failure to refuel when he had the opportunity. A factor in the accident was the soft field due to recent rains.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1995 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Nappanee, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N13734 · registry record · serial 17702463
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATING 1/2 FULL. HE MADE ONE FULL STOP LANDING BUT DID NOT REFUEL. AFTER EXECUTING A PRACTICE APPROACH AND MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE ON HIS RETURN TRIP, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. HE DECIDED TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND MAKE A FORCED LANDING. HE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS. HE LANDED IN A BEAN FIELD, BUT DUE TO THE RECENT RAINS THE GROUND WAS SOFT. THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. DURING THE INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, BOTH WING TANK SUMPS WERE DRAINED AND EACH HAD ABOUT 1/3 CUP OF FUEL REMAINING.
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
- Flight time: 892 hours in all; 474 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,848 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1995; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RCR Rochester IN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 3CI Mishawaka IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 145° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.