Cessna 177 accident near Auburn, California, November 22, 2007
On November 22, 2007 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3459T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, California (Auburn airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing, which resulted in a stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment during the flight from the effects of over-the-counter medications.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2007 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · Auburn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3459T · no longer on the register · serial 17700759
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger had been on a local area personal flight that had lasted about 1.8 hours, and were returning to the departure airport. The airplane entered the traffic pattern and as it was on the base leg, the airspeed slowed, and witnesses indicated that it appeared to be at a high angle of attack. The airplane stalled, rolled into a spin, and collided with trees and terrain. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies was discovered. Serious carburetor icing conditions at glide power existed at the time of the accident; however, whether or not the pilot encountered carburetor icing could not be determined with the available evidence. The pilot had limited experience operating at the airport, and in the accident airplane make and model. The toxicological tests were positive for brompheniramine and diphenhydramine. Brompheniramine and diphenhydramine are sedating antihistamines with adverse effects on performance, and often used to treat allergy symptoms. Although the toxicological test result levels were different between the Federal Aviation Administration laboratory and the local toxicological testing, both results were consistent with recent ingestion of a medication containing brompheniramine, which most likely impaired the pilot's judgment and performance of complex cognitive and motor tasks during the flight.
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: 100 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,831.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2007; 24.0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sierra Vista Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AUN Auburn CA at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from AUN, 4 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N3459T 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.