Cessna 177A accident near La Sal, Utah, October 4, 1993
On October 4, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177A, registered N30365, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Sal, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH (10,000 FOOT) DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- La Sal, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177A · all 177As on the register
- Registration
- N30365 · registry record · serial 17701212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED TAKEOFF FROM A 2600 FOOT LONG DIRT AIRSTRIP UNDER CALM WIND CONDITIONS AND WITH AN OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE OF 75-80 DEGREES F. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE ON THREE OCCASIONS ONLY TO SETTLE BACK TO THE RUNWAY. ULTIMATELY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE BEYOND THE UPWIND END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ESTIMATED AT 10,000 FEET.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,072 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BTF Bountiful UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N30365 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.