Cessna 177B accident near Minden, Nevada, June 11, 1989
On June 11, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34211, was destroyed in an accident near Minden, Nevada (Douglas CO. airport). It was a personal 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 INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE WHICH CAUSED A CRACK IN THE FUEL PRESSURE LINE LEADING INTO THE CARBURETOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Douglas CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34211 · no longer on the register · serial 17701708
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RESTART THEN NOTED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A FIRE STARTED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRPLANE AS IT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NIPPLE INSTALLED ON THE PRESSURE SIDE OF THE FUEL PUMP, LEADING TO THE INTAKE LINE OF THE CARBURETOR, WAS BENT. A CRACK WAS NOTED WITHIN THE THREADED PORTION OF THE NIPPLE. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN INSPECTED 14 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 180 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,598 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 1988; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: 043 Yerington NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,395 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.