Cessna 177B accident near Rialto, California, January 8, 2000
On January 8, 2000 at about 1:53 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34021, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rialto, California (Rialto airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the maintenance personnel to follow the manufacturer's procedures and directives regarding the proper torquing of the screws securing the oil pressure screen housing, which resulted in the loss of lubricating oil, and the subsequent seizure of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2000 · about 1:53 am local time
- Place
- Rialto, California · Rialto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34021 · no longer on the register · serial 17701601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident flight was the first flight following an oil change. While in cruise flight about 38 minutes after takeoff, the engine began to run roughly and the oil pressure dropped to zero. The engine then completely lost power and the pilot attempted to land at the airport. He touched down short of the runway and collided with a fence. During the postaccident examination, oil was evident on the firewall, rear engine case area, and in the area of the oil pressure screen housing, streaming aft on the underside of the aircraft and on the forward edge of both landing gear struts. The screws that attach the oil pressure screen were observed to be improperly secured; there was no discernible torque required to loosen the screws. The oil pressure screen had been removed during the oil change. The improperly torqued oil screen housing bolts resulted in the loss of oil, and the number 2 cylinder connecting rod bearing failure and overheating of the connecting rod. The connecting rod released from the crankshaft journal and punctured the upper left crankcase, damaging the adjacent components.
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: 1,800 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1999; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pacoima CA at 1:15 am
- Destination: L12 Redlands CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from ONT, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.