Cessna 177 accident near Grass Valley, California, December 28, 2015
On December 28, 2015, a 1968 Cessna 177, registered N29533, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Grass Valley, California (Nevada County Air Park airport). 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
The pilot's loss of directional control during the touchdown and the subsequent attempted aborted landing which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2015
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Nevada County Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 A, built 1968 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29533 · no longer on the register · serial 17700947
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he flew the airport traffic pattern to final approach. While on final approach, the pilot trimmed the airplane to a nose-high pitch attitude and his view of the runway was obscured. The pilot reported that he believed the airplane's airspeed dropped below the aerodynamic stall speed and the airplane yawed to the left. When the airplane touched down on the runway, the pilot reported that the airplane veered left, he applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane continued to veer left, exited the left side of the runway and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of visual reference during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,027 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 967 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,186 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 4,186 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OXR Oxnard CA at 9:20 pm
- Destination: GOO Grass Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 4,351 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from KBLU, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.