# Accident 19940811021149A: Cessna 177RG, South Lake Taho, CA, August 11, 1994

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 1994, 18:02 local time
- Place: South Lake Taho, CA
- Airport: Lake Tahoe
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8406° N, 120.0101° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8406&lon=-120.0101&mi=10
- Aircraft: N217AF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N217AF-1995-02-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177RG (registry code 2073709, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (registry code 41593, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177RG
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A1B6
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 195 total, 18 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX94FA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94FA318) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940811021149A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FAILED ACCELERATE OR CLIMB AFTER LIFTOFF. DESCENDED INTO TREES. OVER GROSS WEIGHT AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE FACTORS (.4) WHILE DEPARTING A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT AT A HIGH GROSS WEIGHT, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED ABOUT 50 FEET AND DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TREES ABOUT 1/2-MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTATIONS PLACED THE AIRPLANE OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED AT 8,493 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND DOWNDRAFTS AT THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S FLIGHT EXPERIENCE REVEALED HE HAD OPERATED AT ONE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT IN THE PAST, WHERE HE ACCOMPLISHED ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX94FA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94FA318), Aug 12, 1994: Cessna 177RG (N217AF), So. Lake Tahoe, CA, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to take off from a high density altitude airport at an over allowable gross weight condition. Factors in the accident were the high density altitude, down drafts, and the pilot's…

## Other reports on N217AF (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19920917044689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920917044689I), Sep 17, 1992: Cessna 177RG (N217AF), Van Nuys, CA, Minor damage. Landing gear collapsed on landing rollout. Pilot had green lights. Used gumps list.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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