Cessna 177A accident near Lawrence, Massachusetts, August 15, 1993
On August 15, 1993 at about 6:28 pm local time, a Cessna 177A, registered N30393, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Massachusetts (Lawrence Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE BATTERY BOX COVER BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1993 · about 6:28 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Massachusetts · Lawrence Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177A · all 177As on the register
- Registration
- N30393 · registry record · serial 17701231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER PREFLIGHTING THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED FOR A CROSS COUNTRY. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT SMELLED SMOKE AND AFTERWARDS HE EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF ELEVATOR CONTROL. THE PILOT USED TRIM AND THROTTLE CONTROL TO DESCEND THE AIRPLANE, BUT THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD DURING THE FLARE DUE TO REDUCED AIRCRAFT CONTROL. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE BATTERY COVER HAD NOT BEEN SECURED PROPERLY. THE BATTERY WAS FOUND UPSIDE DOWN, LAYING ACROSS CONTROL CABLES. BOTH PRIMARY ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLES, AND THE RIGHT RUDDER CABLE, WERE SEPARATED DUE TO ELECTRICAL ARCING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 280 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1993; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from LWM
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.