Cessna 177B accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, July 2, 1983
On July 2, 1983 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N20391, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- July 2, 1983 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N20391 · registry record · serial 17702667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE CRUISING AT 9500FT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON ANY RWY AT GRAND CANYON ARPT. HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE ARPT AND LANDED IN TREES NEAR THE SOUTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON. THE SALVAGE CREW THAT RECOVERED THEACFT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS OF THE ACFT.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,713 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 3,543 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,863 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 22, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 26
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from GCN
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.