Cessna 177 accident near Chino, California, July 11, 2010
On July 11, 2010 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3295T, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Chino, California. 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’s inadequate fuel planning which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2010 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3295T · no longer on the register · serial 17700595
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he prepared a flight plan the night before his departure which included three legs, with a fuel stop planned after the second leg. On the day of the accident, the pilot performed a preflight inspection on the airplane and determined that he had sufficient fuel to make the planned 2-hour trip with the appropriate fuel reserve. He flew to the first planned airport, and then amended his flight plan and flew to a different airport, not originally on his flight plan. He did not preflight or consider how this leg would affect his fuel calculations. After the second stop, he did an abbreviated preflight, which consisted of visually checking the fuel and oil levels. He looked into the fuel tanks, but did not physically measure the amount of fuel. He estimated the amount of fuel on board, but did not recognize that the fuel level was too low to make the flight. He then departed for the planned fuel stop airport. The airplane was over a housing tract a few miles northwest of the destination airport when the fuel supply was exhausted and the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing on a golf course, but could not stop the airplane before it collided with ground obstacles.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 449 hours in all; 364 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 318 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,964 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L05 Kernville CA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: AJO Corona CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 9:19 pm from KCNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.