Cessna 177RG accident near Sebring, Florida, September 19, 1997
On September 19, 1997 at about 11:31 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N2562V, was destroyed in an accident near Sebring, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
continued flight by the pilot into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent until impact in a lake. The adverse weather condition (thunderstorm) was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1997 · about 11:31 pm local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N2562V · registry record · serial 177RG0616
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was operating in an area of isolated thunderstorms. While en route at 6,000 feet, the pilot was cleared to descend to 5,000 feet. He acknowledged the clearance, then there was no further radio contact with the pilot. Shortly thereafter, radar contact was lost. Witnesses heard the aircraft descending rapidly, then it crash into a lake. Also, witnesses reported that rain was falling hard, and the wind was blowing hard over the lake at the time of the crash. Recovery of a large portion of the aircraft from the lake showed all components of the aircraft necessary for flight were on the aircraft at impact. There was evidence that the aircraft impacted in a right wing and nose low attitude. The propeller had damage consistent with rotation at the time of the accident. The pilot had received his instrument rating about 48 days before the accident. He had accumulated about 25 hours of actual instrument flight time and 50 hours of simulated instrument flight time.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 340 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,884 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1997; 65 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: MCO Orlando FL at 10:56 pm
- Destination: MTH Marathon FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from GIF, 40 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA97FA249.