Cessna 177B accident near El Monte, California, January 12, 1985
On January 12, 1985 at about 10:47 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34212, was destroyed in an accident near El Monte, California (El Monte airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- January 12, 1985 · about 10:47 pm local time
- Place
- El Monte, California · El Monte · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34212 · registry record · serial 17701709
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE LOST PWR & WAS RESTARTED TWICE BEFORE IT QUIT. THE ACFT LANDED IN A DRY RIVERBED TWO MILES SOUTH OF THE ARPT. TWO OUNCES OF FUEL WERE FOUND AT THE SCENE. WINDS WERE SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN FORECAST. FOUR TAXI/RUNUP/TAKEOFF/ CLIMBS HAD BEEN MADE SINCE REFUELING AND THE PILOT HAD FLOWN SEVERAL DIVERSIONS. HE MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THAT HE HAD TOPPED THE TANKS AT THE LAST REFUELING & FAILED TO CHECK VISUALLY PRIOR TO THE LAST TAKEOFF.
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: 6,098 hours in all; 584 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1984; 39 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: L04 Holtville CA
- Destination: EMT El Monte CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from EMT, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N34212 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.