Cessna 177A accident near Sidney, Nebraska, January 7, 1986
On January 7, 1986, a Cessna 177A, registered N30535, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sidney, Nebraska (Sidney Muni airport). 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1986
- Place
- Sidney, Nebraska · Sidney Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177A · all 177As on the register
- Registration
- N30535 · registry record · serial 17701308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N30535 WAS MAKING A NIGHT TAKEOFF ON A RWY COVERED BY 3' DEEP SNOW. THERE WERE ALSO DRIFTS ALONG THE LT SIDE OF THE RWY WHICH WERE 8 TO 10 INCHES DEEP. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL MOISTURE BLEW ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE LT. THE ACFT THEN ENCOUNTERED THE DEEPER DRIFTS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE RWY, SWERVED TO THE LT, HIT A SNOWBANK ALONG THE LT SIDE OF THE RWY AND NOSED OVER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,361 hours in all; 836 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 1,305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1985; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BFF Scottsbluff NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 6,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from SNY
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.