Cessna 177 accident near Austin, Texas, August 9, 1999
On August 9, 1999 at about 10:56 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29317, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1999 · about 10:56 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29317 · no longer on the register · serial 17700808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a forced landing to a field following a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot confirmed that both wing fuel tanks were full prior to the first flight of the day by observing fuel leaking from the overflow vent of the left wing tank, and feeling for fuel with his fingers in the right wing fuel tank. He flew the first flight of 1.9 hours duration. Prior to the second flight, he did not visually confirm the amount of fuel in the tanks, but noted that the fuel quantity indicators in the cockpit indicated 1/2. The airplane flew approximately 1.9 hours on the second flight, when the engine lost total power. During the ensuing forced landing on a field, the airplane contacted a tree and came to a stop upright. The pilot stated that the airplane 'ran out of fuel.'
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,426 hours in all; 392 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,173 as pilot in command; 95 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,520 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1998; 583 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUS TX at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from AUS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.