Cessna 177RG accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, February 6, 1983
On February 6, 1983 at about 5:16 am local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N1547H, was destroyed in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1983 · about 5:16 am local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1547H · no longer on the register · serial 0721
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A MOUNTAIN DURING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AT TAKEOFF BUT BECAME IMC LATER NEARTHE MOUNTAINS. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT NEVER OPENED.THE PILOT CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC CONDITIONS. HE HAD RETURNED TO LAS VEGAS ONCE AND ASKED FOR MORE WEATHER BRIEFING. SHORTLY AFTER HIS SECOND DEPARTURE, AT NIGHT HE ASKED FOR ATC HELP FOR SEPARATION THROUGH LAS VEGAS, CA. HE WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING IN HEAVY RAIN. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER AT 1226, HE REPORTED NAVIGATIONAL PROBLEMS. ATC GAVE HIM A HEADING FOR A RETURN. ATC PERSONNEL OBSERVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COMMENCED A TURN WHICH TIGHTENED AND THEN THE TARGET DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ABOUT 65 FT BELOW A RIDGE LINE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 3500 FT MSL. IT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN WITH THE RIGHT WING FIRST, THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED 58 FT UPSLOPE BEFORE COMING TO REST. MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE AREA WERE OBSCURED.
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
- Flight time: 410 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,473 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1982; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 4:45 am
- Destination: TOA Torrance CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.