Cessna 177RG accident near Richmond Hill, Georgia, January 17, 2021
On January 17, 2021 at about 5:20 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 177RG, registered N919DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Richmond Hill, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2021 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond Hill, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG, built 1976 · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N919DC · registry record · serial 177RG1055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross-country flight, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight, at an altitude of 5,500 ft the engine “just stopped.” Although the pilot was able to restart the engine; the engine lost power again and the pilot made a forced landing in a field. During the forced landing, the airplane contacted wood debris and was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the engine, ignition, fuel, and vent systems did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The left fuel tank was empty, and the right fuel tank was full. The pilot stated that during the flight, the fuel selector was in the BOTH position. A review of the airplane’s operating handbook revealed that the “fuel selector valve handle should be in the BOTH position for takeoff, landing, and power-on maneuvers that involve prolonged slips or skids.” The handbook also states that if the fuel selector is in the BOTH position during prolonged climb or cruise, an unequal fuel flow from each tank may occur if the airplane is out of trim directionally or if the fuel caps are not sealed properly. Although it was not determined if the fuel imbalance occurred due to improperly sealed fuel caps or an out-of-trim condition, the pilot should have been monitoring the fuel levels during the flight and taken corrective action to avoid fuel starvation. Available evidence indicates the engine lost total power due to fuel starvation.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,249 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, October 25, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 2,249 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 2:32 pm
- Destination: W75 Saluda VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from SAV, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA21LA105.