Cessna 177RG accident near Harford, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1990
On February 18, 1990 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N45371, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harford, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION WHICH ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO RUN INTO TREES AFTER THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE OF UNDETERMINED CAUSE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1990 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Harford, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N45371 · no longer on the register · serial 177RG1115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPEREINCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A FROZEN LAKE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED INTO TREES ON THE OPPOSITE SHORE DUE TO A LACK OF BRAKING ACTION. NO SPECIFIC REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE.
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: 712 hours in all; 662 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 666 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,708 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1989; 8 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: Harford PA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.