Cessna 177B accident near Herndon, Virginia, May 31, 2013
On May 31, 2013 at about 4:12 am local time, a 1972 Cessna 177B, registered N177FG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Herndon, Virginia. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2013 · about 4:12 am local time
- Place
- Herndon, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B, built 1972 · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N177FG · registry record · serial 17701781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger planned to complete an aerial observation/photography flight across multiple sites during the daytime and at night. The airplane was fueled to its maximum capacity of 49 gallons before departing from the airplane's home base to accomplish the daylight portion of the mission. After one intermediate stop and 3.38 hours of flight time, the pilot landed the airplane to obtain additional fuel and wait for darkness to fall. After observing the remaining fuel quantity, the pilot estimated that 15 additional gallons of fuel would be necessary to complete the estimated remaining 3-hour flight, and 10 and 5 gallons of fuel were added to the left and right fuel tanks, respectively. The airplane subsequently departed and, about 2.9 hours into the flight, the engine lost total power. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to glide the airplane to a runway at a nearby major airport, and the airplane impacted a residential structure. Examination of the wreckage following the accident revealed no evidence of fuel within the tanks or anywhere at the accident site even though both fuel tanks appeared to have been breached during the impact sequence. Review of fuel consumption data from an onboard engine fuel flow display device showed that 37.6 of the available 49 gallons of usable had been consumed during the flights immediately preceding the accident flight. The pilot added 15 gallons to the remaining 11.4 gallons for a total of 26.4 usable gallons of fuel at the time of departure. The fuel flow display device showed that, during the accident flight, the engine had consumed 29.2 gallons of fuel before losing power. Although the estimated calculations showed that the total quantity consumed was greater than the total quantity available, considering the lack of fuel observed at the accident site and the pilot's statements to air traffic control regarding the airplane's fuel state, it is apparent that the total loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,097 hours in all; 1,770 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,098 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 2, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,992 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 2012; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerial Photographers LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PNE Philadelphia PA at 1:40 am
- Destination: HEF Manassas VA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 am from KIAD, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.