Cessna 177RG accident near Durango, Colorado, February 23, 1992
On February 23, 1992 at about 7:18 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N2550V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado. 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
A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. FACTORS WERE: ROUGH AND UNEVEN SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1992 · about 7:18 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · 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
- N2550V · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0613
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE AFTER TAKEOFF ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD WHICH WAS ROUGH, UNEVEN, AND COVERED WITH SNOW. THE MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,718 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,396 as pilot in command; 348 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,435 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 12, 1991; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sheppard Afb Flying Club
The flight
- Destination: AMA Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from DRO, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.