Cessna 177 accident near San Diego/El Cajon, California, July 28, 2018
On July 28, 2018 at about 5:23 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 177, registered N3477T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near San Diego/El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in his exceedance of the airplane's maximum gross weight, which lead to the airplane's poor climb performance, and a subsequent loss of control and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2018 · about 5:23 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego/El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 Undesignat, built 1968 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3477T · no longer on the register · serial 17700777
- 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, while departing on a cross-country flight from the 2,738-ft-long runway, the engine lost partial power about 100 ft above ground level during the initial climb. He lowered the airplane's nose, which appeared to restore engine power, then raised the nose again as the airplane approached the end of the runway. The engine then experienced a "severe" loss of power and the airplane subsequently impacted a dirt field at the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and review of data from the onboard engine monitor revealed that the engine was producing full power throughout the takeoff. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector spoke to several witnesses who saw the pilot fill a truck bed with belongings from the accident airplane, including wooden crates full of avocados. The pilot confirmed that he had a "substantial amount" of cargo on board, and that he did not calculate the airplane's weight and balance for the flight. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot's inadequate preflight planning resulted in his exceedance of the airplane's maximum gross weight, which lead to the the airplane's poor climb performance, the perceived loss of engine power, and the subsequent loss of control and impact with terrain.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum weight › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weight/balance calculations › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 242 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 242 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,127.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 1,375 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEE San Diego/El Cajon CA at 5:23 pm
- Destination: LPC Lompoc CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 2,738 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from SEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 3, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Email | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Data | data file | Download |
| 4 | Airframe and Engine Examination | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.