Cessna 177B accident near Prattsville, Ohio, May 8, 1998
On May 8, 1998 at about 11:36 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N904DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prattsville, 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
the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and the inadequate fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Uneven terrain in the forced landing area was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1998 · about 11:36 pm local time
- Place
- Prattsville, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N904DS · no longer on the register · serial 17702490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two pilots departed without visually verifying the quantity of fuel in the fuel tanks. During climbout, the pilots noted the right fuel quantity indicator '...was all the way on 'E', the left read three-quarters.' The pilot selected the right tank position on the fuel selector and flew for 50 minutes. He said this satisfied his suspicion that the right fuel gauge was inaccurate. The pilot said he then flew from the left tank to balance the fuel load and ultimately switched the selector to 'Both.' While in cruise flight at 9,000 feet, after approximately 2 hours of flight time, the engine stopped producing power. During a subsequent forced landing on uneven terrain, the airplane nosed over. There was no evidence of fuel at the scene. After the accident, an FAA Inspector started and ran the engine on the airframe. After reviewing his records and fuel receipts, the co-pilot/owner stated the airplane operated to its fuel endurance.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,055 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command; 520 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,377 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1998; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EVV Evansville IN at 9:20 pm
- Destination: PKB Parkersburg WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from HTS, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.