# Accident 20200311005559A: Cessna 177RG, Sterling, MA, March 11, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 11, 2020, 14:33 local time - Place: Sterling, MA - Airport: Sterling - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.4303° N, 71.7975° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4303&lon=-71.7975&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1572H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1572H-2020-12-05) (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 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 604 total, 123 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA124) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200311005559A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. MARCH 11, 2020, 1506 HOURS, FAA IIC RECEIVED NOTICE REGARDING A FATAL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT JUST NORTH OF THE STERLING AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT U.S. REGISTRATION N1572H, MODEL CE-177RG, SERIAL NUMBER 177RG0746, HAD ONE SOUL ON BOARD (SOB). THE PILOT IMPACTED TERRAIN JUST NORTH OF STERLING AIRPORT (3B3), HIS HOME AIRPORT AFTER DEPARTURE. FAA IIC ON-SITE ARRIVAL @1710 MARCH 11, WHERE THE STERLING POLICE, FIRE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER, MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE AND SEVERAL DETECTIVES FROM THE STATE DISTRICT ATTORNEY?S OFFICE WERE WAITING IN A HOLDING AREA PRIOR TO EXTRACTION OF THE PILOT. INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INTACT, UPRIGHT, AND NOSE DOWN IN A BOG AREA APPROXIMATELY AT A 60-DEGREE ANGLE IN HEAVY MUD AND WATER WITH THE RIGHT WING SLIGHTLY LOWER. BIOHAZARD WAS PRESENT. THE PROPELLER, ENGINE AND FUEL SELECTOR IN THE CABIN WAS SUBMERGED IN MUD UP TO THE AIRCRAFT WINDSHIELD. THE IGNITION WAS IN THE ON POSITION, FLAPS UP, GEAR RETRACTED. THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE AND PROPELLER CONTROLS WERE ALL FORWARD. THE PLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET TO THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 16 AT (3B3) ON A HEADING OF 180 DEGREES AS CONFIRMED BY HAND COMPASS AND THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS HAD WIDE FLAT DAMAGE INDICATING THAT THE AIRCRAFT MIGHT HAVE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT ENTRY. THE FUEL TANKS ON EACH WING WERE INTACT AND NOT BREACHED. NO WET FUEL OR FUEL STAINS WERE OBSERVED ON TOP OR BELOW EACH WING. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE STANDING WATER AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS ATTEMPTED FROM THE WINGS AT THE FUEL DRAIN. NO FUEL WAS ABLE TO BE RETRIEVED. WINGS WERE SHAKEN TO LISTEN FOR FUEL. NO FUEL COULD BE HEARD. FUEL CAPS WERE NOT REMOVED AT THIS TIME. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT TIE DOWN PARKING SPOT AT 3B3 WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASED REVEALED A 3 FOOT DIAMETER CIRCLE OF FUEL AND WITHIN THAT DIAMETER, FUEL WAS STILL PRESENT. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL LEAKAGE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BUT WAS ENOUGH TO COMPROMISE THE ASPHALT ALLOWING THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR TIRE TO SINK WITH A NOTICEABLE INDENTATION. THE FUEL AREA ON THE ASPHALT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE RIGHT WING FUEL DRAIN THAT IS USED FOR SAMPLING FUEL DURING PRE-FLIGHT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. NTSB INVESTIGATIVE MEMBERS ARRIVED ON SITE MARCH 12, 2020 @ 1100 HOURS AFTER CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS AT THE AIRPORT. FOUR WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DEPART RUNWAY 34 AT THE 3B3 AIRPORT AROUND 1430 HOURS. BETWEEN MID-FIELD AND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEY CONFIRM HEARING THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SPUTTERING. ALL OBSERVED THE LEFT WING DIP BUT LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT SOON AFTER DUE TO THE TERRAIN AND TREES. ON MARCH 12TH THE FUEL CAPS WERE REMOVED AND THE AIRCRAFT WINGS WERE SHAKEN TO SEE AND HEAR FOR FUEL PRESENT. NONE COULD BE HEARD AT EACH TANK. EACH TANK WAS DIPPED TO SEE IF ANY FUEL WAS PRESENT AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE FUEL TANKS. NONE WAS OBSERVED. WING MATERIAL WAS REMOVED AROUND THE FUEL CAPS FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION. NO FUEL COULD BE MEASURED AT THIS TIME. CONTINUITY OF CONTROLS AND CABLES WAS CONFIRMED. MARCH 14TH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE IMPACT AREA BUT REMAINED WITHIN THE CONTAINMENT ZONE FOR INSPECTION. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS CONFIRMED TO BE IN THE ?BOTH? SELECTION. INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER REVILED NO MARKS, CORD WISE SCRATCHES OR TIP DAMAGE INDICATING THE PROPELLER WAS NOT ROTATING AT IMPACT, BOTH BLADES OF THE PROPELLER WERE BENT AFT SLIGHTLY. THE SPINNER HAD MINOR DAMAGE. THE ENGINE WAS INTACT AND ATTACHED TO THE MOUNTS. THE HIGH ANGLE OF IMPACT IMPLIES THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAME THROUGH A SMALLER OPENING AND SHORTER LESS POPULATED GROVE OF TREES THAT HAD NOT DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE OCCURRED CLOSER TO THE GROUND AND WITHIN THE RADIUS OF IMPACT. THE AREA WAS SURVEILLED FOR BROKEN LIMBS, TREES OR AIRCRAFT TRAIL THROUGH THE AREA. NO DAMAGE COULD BE DETERMINED. END ## 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 ERA20FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA124), Mar 11, 2020: Cessna 177RG (N1572H), Sterling, MA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection. ## Other reports on N1572H (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20030324005109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030324005109I), Mar 24, 2003: Cessna 177RG (N1572H), Blytheville, AR, Minor damage. (-23) 03/24/2003, N1572H, CE-177RG departed (hka) Blytheville municipal, under VMC conditions for a 14 CFR part 91 pleasure flight. Enroute to (ski) sikeston… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.