Cessna 177B accident near Houston, Texas, August 16, 1993
On August 16, 1993 at about 2:53 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34689, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MONITOR AND RECALCULATE FUEL CONSUMPTION EN ROUTE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ONTO WHICH THE FORCED LANDING COULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1993 · about 2:53 am local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34689 · no longer on the register · serial 17701941
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A COMPLETE POWER LOSS, THE PILOT EXECUTED A NIGHT FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON THE 4:30 CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE HAD 6:33 ENDURANCE FOR THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER 4:18. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE WAS FOUND AT THE SITE AND THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKAGE STAINS FOUND ON THE AIRPLANE. A SUBSEQUENT TEST RUN WITH THE CARBURETOR ON AN OVERHAULED ENGINE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL METERING WAS WITHIN LIMITS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT PERFORM EN ROUTE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS DUE TO THE MARGIN OF FUEL HE HAD ONBOARD AT TAKEOFF.
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: 147 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,187 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 29, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNC Ponca City OK at 10:35 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from IAH, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.