Cessna 177 accident near St Petersburg, Florida, September 23, 1999
On September 23, 1999 at about 12:59 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3342T, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Petersburg, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loose throttle control cable clamp which resulted in a lose of power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1999 · about 12:59 pm local time
- Place
- St Petersburg, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3342T · no longer on the register · serial 17700642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while engaged in traffic reporting duties, at 1,000 feet, 6 miles southwest of the Albert Whitted Municipal Airport, the engine started to sputter and there was a loss of engine power. The pilot further stated that she performed the emergency checklist, turned toward Albert Whitted Municipal Airport, and made a radio call. She attempted to regain cruise power, but the engine produced insufficient power to maintain altitude. She ditched the airplane in shallow water in the vicinity of Tierra Verde, where both she and the passenger were rescued. According to an FAA inspector who conducted an examination of the airplane, the throttle control cable clamp, located just aft of the carburetor was loose from the throttle housing, and made a bow upwards without fully manipulating the throttle control arm.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 895 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 640 as pilot in command; 386 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,672 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 5, 1999; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bay Air Flying Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SPG at 10:10 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from SPG, 6 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.