# Accident 19970604045939A: Cessna 177B, Lake Powell, UT, June 4, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 4, 1997, 11:17 local time
- Place: Lake Powell, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: SCIA
- Location: 38.2706° N, 110.7498° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2706&lon=-110.7498&mi=10
- Aircraft: N34680, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N34680-1999-06-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177B (registry code 2073708, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1F6
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,894 total, 5 in this make and model, 138 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA128) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970604045939A

## Narrative

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

(.4)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 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 SEA97LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA128), Jun 4, 1997: Cessna 177B (N34680), Lake Powell, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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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