Cessna 177 accident near Stuart, Florida, July 4, 1989
On July 4, 1989 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N2923X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stuart, Florida (Stuart airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN WATER AND RUST CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL AND A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1989 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · Stuart · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2923X · no longer on the register · serial 177-00323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF FROM HIS 2ND TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE ENG LOST POWER. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT APPEARED TO WOBBLE & SINK AS THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT BACK TOWARD THE RWY. IT THEN ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED ON THE END OF THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED WATER & RUST IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL & RUST IN THE CARBURETOR'S FINGER SCREEN.
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: 93 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,067 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1989; 27 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: SUA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PBI, 23 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.