Cessna 177 accident near Pond Creek, Oklahoma, February 18, 2002
On February 18, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3402T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pond Creek, Oklahoma. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude due to falling asleep while performing pipeline patrol activities.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pond Creek, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3402T · no longer on the register · serial 17700702
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting pipeline patrol activities at 300 feet agl. He stated that "everything was quiet, and there was nothing to report." The pilot fell asleep, and the next thing he remembered was hitting the ground in an open wheat field, and sliding 240 feet before coming to rest in an upright position. A sleep log for the 72-hour period immediately preceding the accident showed the pilot experienced no irregular sleep patterns.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,138 hours in all; 4,401 in this make and model; 425 in the last 90 days; 142 in the last 30 days; 16,949 as pilot in command; 3,989 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 20, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,405 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 2001; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTT Pratt KS at 5:55 pm
- Destination: EQA El Dorado KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 35 knots, gusting 50
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.