Cessna 177 accident near Carrabelle, Florida, January 14, 2007
On January 14, 2007 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29888, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrabelle, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of maintenance personnel to detect corrosion and a fatigue crack during the last annual inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2007 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carrabelle, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29888 · no longer on the register · serial 17701015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight an 18-inch section of one propeller blade separated as a result of a non-detected fatigue crack. The pilot flew towards the nearest airport based on his on-board GPS, but the beacon and runway lights were out of service. By the time he visually spotted the airport and flew towards the approach end of the runway, he had insufficient altitude to reach it. He landed in the tops of trees approximately 100 yards short of the runway, and exited the airplane. Postaccident examination of the propeller revealed blisters (consistent with the onset of corrosion) near the fatigue origin point. The propeller was last inspected 3 months 1 day earlier; the airplane had been operated for 31.57 hours at the time of the failure.
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: 790 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,821.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2006; 31.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KPNS Pensacola FL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: KCLW Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from KAAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.