Cessna 177RG accident near Janice, Mississippi, August 14, 1989
On August 14, 1989 at about 2:26 am local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N1976Q, was destroyed in an accident near Janice, Mississippi. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE SPIRALING INTO A WOODED AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1989 · about 2:26 am local time
- Place
- Janice, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1976Q · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0396
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS OPERATING IN AN AREA OF REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO HAZE, OVER AN UNPOPULATED AREA, AT NIGHT. REVIEW OF RADAR DATA INDICATES THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING A CONSTANT HEADING AND ALTITUDE DURING THE 15 MINUTE FLT. AS THE PLT RECEIVED THE CURRENT RUNWAY AND ALTIMETER SETTING AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN TO IMPACT WITH TREES AND THE TERRAIN. THE PLT HAD VOICED CONCERNS REGARDING THE HAZY CONDITIONS TO SEVERAL PEOPLE PRIOR TO THE FLT. THE PLT'S NIGHT CURRENCY AND TOTAL FLT EXPERIENCE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED FROM RECORDS. WEATHER INFORMATION LISTED ABOVE WAS AT A LOCATION 36 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. PLTS FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE ESTIMATED VISIBILITY TO VARY BETWEEN 1 AND 2 MILES WITH FOG.
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: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1989; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HBG Hattiesburg MS at 2:10 am
- Destination: GPT Gulfport MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 am from GPT, 36 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.