Cessna 177 accident near Lancaster, Ohio, April 30, 1997
On April 30, 1997 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N2921X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, Ohio (Fairfield County). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision and his failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane departing the runway and striking the precision approach path indicator lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1997 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Ohio · Fairfield County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2921X · no longer on the register · serial 17700321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot (SP), who was reported as having less than an hour of flight time, were departing on a local training flight. The CFI performed the takeoff. The CFI told the SP to follow through on the controls, and to advance the throttle slowly. He advised the SP to expect a correction for the wind by lowering the left wing, and said that they would use the rudders to keep the airplane straight. When the throttle was advanced, the airplane immediately started to drift left. The CFI stated that for some reason, the SP applied full left rudder. The CFI could not over come this, and pulled the throttle shut. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway and came to a stop after striking two Precision Approach Path Indicator lights. The CFI did not recall if he or the student pilot attempted to stop the airplane using the brakes. Winds were reported from 190 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 20 knots. Examination of the airplane revealed no malfunction of the airplane's brakes or nose wheel steering system.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1996; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHQ at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LHQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N2921X 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.