Cessna 177 accident near Wheatfield, New York, March 10, 1985
On March 10, 1985 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N30155, was destroyed in an accident near Wheatfield, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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
- March 10, 1985 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wheatfield, New York
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N30155 · no longer on the register · serial 17701084
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING ARRIVAL, HE MADE A COMPLETE LANDING CHECK & APPLIED CARB HEAT BEFORE REDUCING POWER. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE POWER WAS REDUCED TO 1900 TO 2000 RPM, THE ENG SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. AN OPEN FIELD WAS SELECTED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING; HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING STRUCK SMALL TREES & THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED MUD & SNOW. THE ACFT SKIDDED ON MUD & SNOW AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DAMAGED BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT WAS MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE CARB HEAT ASSEMBLY WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY IMPACT. THE LEFT FUEL CAP WAS NOT VENTED; HOWEVER, NO OBSTRUCTIONS WERE REPORTED TO THE OTHER VENTS FOR THE THAT TANK. AD-79-14 REQUIRED THAT BOTH FUEL CAPS BE VENTED IAW CESSNA SVC LTR, SE 77-6.
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: 665 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 449 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,275 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dansville NY at 7:20 pm
- Destination: Niagara Falls NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N30155 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.