Cessna 177 accident near Frankfort, Kentucky, October 7, 1999
On October 7, 1999 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29362, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frankfort, Kentucky (Capital City Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1999 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Frankfort, Kentucky · Capital City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29362 · registry record · serial 17700840
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On approach to the airport, the engine lost all power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. The pilot stated that the airplane had a Supplemental Type Certificate for automobile gasoline. Before the flight, the pilot added 15 gallons of automobile gasoline to the airplane. He thought he originally purchased the gasoline at an automotive gas station. The pilot believed that the fuel filter became clogged as a result of fuel contamination. Additionally, the airplane's engine had approximately 2,100 hours of operating time since its last remanufacture, about 24 years before the accident date. A FAA Inspector did not find any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He did observe fuel in both fuel tanks, but did not find any debris in the fuel filter.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1998; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 58KY Finchville KY at 11:30 pm
- Destination: FFT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from FFT, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.