Cessna 177B accident near Tusayan, Arizona, August 3, 1999
On August 3, 1999 at about 9:07 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N19113, was destroyed in an accident near Tusayan, Arizona (Grand Canyon Natl. Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the pilot's failure to have available and consult the FAA approved flight manual for performance data and, the high density altitude. Contributing to the accident were the dual magneto and spark plug system issues affecting optimum engine performance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1999 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Tusayan, Arizona · Grand Canyon Natl. Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N19113 · no longer on the register · serial 17702558
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The cross-country flight departed Big Bear, California, with stops in Las Vegas, Nevada, Grand Canyon, Arizona, and returning to Big Bear. The accident departure from Grand Canyon National Park Airport was performed on runway 03; an 8,999-foot runway with a 0.8 percent up gradient (76-foot increase), and a density altitude of 8,800 feet msl. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to be slow, and barely cleared trees and buildings while climbing into mildly rising terrain. About 2 miles from the runway, the airplane was seen to roll to the left and descended into trees. The FAA Approved Flight Manual (AFM) for the accident airplane/performance data was not found at the accident site; however, a Cessna 337 Skymaster AFM was found. A California Airport Directory was also recovered. No Grand Canyon Airport information was found at the site other than the Las Vegas Sectional Chart airport information. Examination of the dual magneto revealed internal case corrosion on the left interior of the magneto. The right magneto was timed 22 degrees BTC instead of 25 degrees BTC. Test bench results indicated that the right magneto exhibited a weak spark. The massive electrode spark plugs exhibited a gap in excess of the recommended maximum gap for the plug. Cylinder plugs No. 1 and 2 were fuel sooted, No. 3 appeared lean, and No. 4 was slightly sooted.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 76 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,432 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1999; 92 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: GCN Grand Canyon AZ at 9:07 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 8,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from GCN, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.