Cessna 177RG accident near Redding, California, April 11, 2003
On April 11, 2003 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N1925Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redding, California (Redding Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 pilot's improper engine starting procedures, and his failure to maintain clearance with a parked airplane, resulting in a collision with the parked and unoccupied airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2003 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Redding, California · Redding Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1925Q · registry record · serial 177RG0325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo airline transport pilot reported he was practicing flying from the right seat in preparation for a flight instructor certificate. During the engine start, the pilot indicated he inadvertently applied too much throttle prior to starting the engine. When the engine started, the airplane surged ahead, and he was unable to stop or turn it in time to avoid colliding with a nearby parked and unoccupied airplane. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or problems with the airplane.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,407 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,120 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,281 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 24, 2003; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDD Redding CA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from RDD
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.
Other NTSB records under N1925Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX03LA136.