Cessna 177B accident near Lebec, California, June 11, 1995
On June 11, 1995 at about 1:25 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N16081, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebec, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane's fuel sysytem and his failure to maintain an adequate supply of fuel to complete the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1995 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Lebec, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N16081 · no longer on the register · serial 17702483
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL POWER LOSS WHILE AT 8,500 FT MSL. HE INITIATED A GLIDE TOWARD AN AIRPORT, BUT LANDED WITH NO FLAPS IN A ROUGH FIELD ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. BEFORE DEPARTURE HE MADE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY AND OBSERVED THE FUEL LEVEL TO BE LEVEL WITH SOME DOTTED MARKINGS. HE THOUGHT THE DOTS REPRESENTED FULL FUEL. THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL STATES THE FUEL CAPACITY TO THE 'LINE OF HOLES' INSIDE THE FILLER NECK IS 22 GALLONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH 50-GALLON STANDARD RANGE TANKS, WITH 49 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. THE OPERATOR SAID THAT NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN EITHER TANK WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 1.6 HOURS BEFORE BEING DISPATCHED TO THE PILOT. HE ESTIMATED THAT THE PILOT DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD WITH 33 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD. THE HOBBS METER SHOWED THE PILOT HAD FLOWN 2.9 HOURS. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT BURNED BETWEEN 10 AND 12 GPH. NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT AVALON AIRPORT ON CATALINA ISLAND.
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: 294 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,058 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 5, 1995; 73 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: AVX Avalon CA
- Destination: BFL Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from WJF, 30 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.
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.