Cessna 177RG incident near Cashmere, Washington, September 22, 1982
On September 22, 1982 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N52716, was involved in an incident near Cashmere, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1982 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Cashmere, Washington · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N52716 · registry record · serial 177RG1256
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 7500 FT THE PILOT OBSERVED SMOKE ENTERING THE COCKPIT FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AREA. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO ISOLATE THE SOURCE BY SHUTTING OFF VARIOUS ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO APPEAR INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT REACHED ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A SLIGHT OIL LEAK ALLOWED OIL TO DROP ONTO A HEATED EXHAUST SHROUD AND PRODUCE SMOKE WHICH WAS INGESTED INTO THE COCKPIT THROUGH A DEFROSTER VENT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE OIL LEAK WAS FROM THE LEFT REAR ROCKER COVER.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,402 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 221 in the last 90 days; 1,294 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,731 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cascade Flight School INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BLI Bellingham WA at 2:05 pm
- Destination: EAT Wenatchee WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from EAT, 13 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.
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.