Cessna 177B accident near Everett, Washington, March 23, 1997
On March 23, 1997 at about 11:08 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N35034, was substantially damaged in an accident near Everett, Washington (Paine Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane after landing. Factors relating to the accident include: a blown (failed) nose tire, and soft terrain beside the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1997 · about 11:08 pm local time
- Place
- Everett, Washington · Paine Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N35034 · registry record · serial 17702170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that she made a normal landing, but after lowering the nose, she 'felt a jolt (or crunch), bounced slightly, landed a second time, losing direction control to the left. The plane veered into the soft dirt and grass, which was very wet, most likely due to the rain that morning and the day before. The plane came to a stop with the nose gear embedded in the dirt.' In her written statement, the pilot stated that she believed the nose tire blew on contact with the runway, and that it was a contributing factor to the loss of directional control.
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: 614 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 553 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1996; 514 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: PAE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34R, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft; scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from KPA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.