Cessna 177B accident near Lake Powell, Utah, June 4, 1997
On June 4, 1997 at about 5:17 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34680, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Powell, Utah. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1997 · about 5:17 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Powell, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34680 · no longer on the register · serial 17701937
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight departed at 0909 with 40 gallons of fuel. After about 2.2 hours of flight time the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The aircraft was flying westbound along the San Juan River gorge. The pilot was unable to locate a suitable landing site for a forced landing and executed a ditching during which the aircraft nosed over and then sank. The pilot described the power loss as a reduction of RPM and a 'popping and backfiring and shuddering worse and worse all the way down.' Attempts to trouble shoot and correct the situation were unsuccessful. The aircraft sank in deep water and was not recovered.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,894 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 1,819 as pilot in command; 768 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,543 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1997; 91 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: PGA Page AZ at 4:09 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PGA, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.