Cessna 177 accident near Harrisburg, Illinois, April 15, 1997
On April 15, 1997 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3322T, was destroyed in an accident near Harrisburg, Illinois (Harrisburg-Raleigh airport). 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 loss of engine power followed by an engine fire for reason or reasons undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1997 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Harrisburg, Illinois · Harrisburg-Raleigh · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3322T · registry record · serial 17700622
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that during the initial application of power for takeoff, the engine did not develop full power. He said that he then reduced the power to idle and turned off the runway at which time he became aware of smoke coming from the engine compartment. He and one passenger exited the airplane to find in on fire. The airplane continued to burn until destroyed. A subsequent examination of the engine and airframe failed to reveal the source of the fire or ignition source. There was aviation fuel to support the fire once the airplane started to burn.
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: 700 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 533 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 1996; 450 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,275 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HSB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,004 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from KMW, 22 miles away
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.