Cessna 177B accident near Pleasant Grove, California, October 28, 1993
On October 28, 1993 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N18174, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pleasant Grove, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE STARTER TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1993 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Pleasant Grove, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N18174 · registry record · serial 02535
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE PULLED THE MIXTURE TO IDLE CUT OFF TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE FOR THE STUDENT. WHEN HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE STARTER WOULD NOT TURN THE PROPELLER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A RICE PADDY AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE STARTER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TESTED AND FOUND TO DEVELOP 50% OF ITS DESIGNED CRANKING POWER. IT ALSO MADE GRINDING NOISES. INSPECTION OF THE STARTER REVEALED THAT IT HAD 24 VOLT BRUSHES INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED 12 VOLT BRUSHES. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE STARTER WAS NOT LUBRICATED, HAD A DRY BENDIX COUPLING, AND WAS CRACKED AT THE REAR BEARING HOUSING. COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE AIRPLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED NO HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON THE STARTER REGARDING DATE OF MANUFACTURE, OVERHAUL, OR INSTALLATION ON THE ENGINE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3,676 as pilot in command; 2,625 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,843 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 25, 1993; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q96 Sacramento CA at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N18174 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.