Cessna 177 accident near Morgantown, West Virginia, October 20, 1992
On October 20, 1992, a Cessna 177, registered N3107T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morgantown, West Virginia. 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND PLANNING, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION AND A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1992
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3107T · registry record · serial 17700407
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. AT 2.3 HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT AND ABOUT 7 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER AND THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON A HIGHWAY. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS AT THE CRASH SITE. AN ENGINE RUN REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 276 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,275 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W18 Laurel MD at 9:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 am from MGW, 1 miles away
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.