Cessna 177 accident near Live Oak, Florida, June 11, 1992
On June 11, 1992 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3413T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Live Oak, Florida (Suwanee Belle airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TREES NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PROXIMITY OF TREES WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1992 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Live Oak, Florida · Suwanee Belle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3413T · no longer on the register · serial 17700713
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED THE PLT LANDED ON THE 3000 FT GRASS RWY, THINKING HE HAD LANDED ON A 4000 FT RWY ABOUT 5 MI TO THE WEST. THEY ADZD HIM NOT TO TAKEOFF IN THE 95 DEG TEMP. THE PLT DECIDED TO TAKEOFF AND USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE RWY. HE SAID HE LEANED THE MIXTURE AND USED 1/4 FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. WHILE CLIMBING OVER A ROW OF TREES AT THE END OF THE RWY, THE PLT BELIEVED THERE WAS A SLIGHT POWER LOSS. THE ACFT THEN SETTLED INTO A SECOND ROW OF TREES (60 TO 70 FT TALL) & CRASHED. THE WITNESSES RPRTD THE ENG WAS PROVIDING FULL POWER UNTIL IMPACT. THE ENG TACHOMETER WAS FOUND TO READ 150 RPM HI, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OF MALFUNCTION OF THE ENG WAS FOUND. THE FLT MANUAL INDCD THE ENG SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LEANED FOR TAKEOFF BELOW 5000 FT. PERFORMANCE CHARTS SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WOULD HAVE NEEDED 2025 FT TO CLR A 50 FT OBSTACLE.
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: 169 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 144 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 9, 1992; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Mayo FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from GNV, 45 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.