Cessna 177A accident near Sidney, Ohio, February 17, 1996
On February 17, 1996, a Cessna 177A, registered N30422, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sidney, Ohio. It was a personal 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 contamination, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in subsequent loss of engine power during cruise flight. A factor relating to the accident was: rough terrain in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1996
- Place
- Sidney, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177A · all 177As on the register
- Registration
- N30422 · registry record · serial 17701244
- 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 the airplane was in cruise flight at 3000 feet MSL, when the engine began to sputter, then lost power. The pilot stated that he applied carburetor heat, switched fuel tanks, and turned on the fuel boost pumps, but all restart attempts were unsuccessful. He made a forced landing in a rough field, and the airplane was damaged during the landing roll. Postaccident examination revealed evidence of fuel contamination. A brown colored substance was found in the fuel sump drain. The engine was test run using auxiliary fuel and auxiliary electrical power. During the test run, the engine ran smoothly with no indication of a malfunction.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 268 hours in all; 268 in this make and model; 175 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1995; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AOH Lima OH
- Destination: I12 OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from DAY, 25 miles away
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.