Cessna 177RG accident near Lake Tahoe, California, August 19, 2008
On August 19, 2008 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N8053G, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Lake Tahoe, California (Lake Tahoe Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 compensation for the wind and density altitude conditions and failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed that resulted in a stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2008 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Tahoe, California · Lake Tahoe Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N8053G · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that during the takeoff initial climb, the airplane encountered a windshear and touched back down on the runway as it was drifting to the left in a right bank. The airplane lifted off the runway again and the flight continued normally back to the pilot's home airport, with no flight control anomalies encountered. While the pilot was tying down his airplane, he noted buckling of the right stabilator top skin, and the lower skin and tip bottom were scraped. He opined that the damage had taken place at the departure airport when the airplane had settled back onto the runway during the takeoff. Prior to the flight the pilot had checked the weather on the internet, as well as the ASOS information. Both sources indicated a tailwind for a departure to the north, which was also the preferred takeoff runway. During his start-up and taxi to the active runway he noted the wind sock showing a crosswind from the left at 5 to 10 knots. The engine power and acceleration for takeoff were normal and the airplane lifted off the ground about midfield at 70 miles per hour. On the initial climb out, the wind shifted. The airplane began a descent and turn to the left as the stall warning horn was sounding. The pilot corrected back to the runway with a right bank, at which point the airplane touched down on the runway. In the pilot's written statement on how the accident could have been prevented, he reported that he should have reconsidered his decision to take off based on the disparity between the windsock and ASOS information available, and that he should have delayed the climb out until a higher airspeed had been attained. The density altitude was calculated at 7,965 feet.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Response/compensation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 505 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 458 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 28, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,583 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 2008; 20 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: TVL Lake Tahoe CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 8,544 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TVL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N8053G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.