# Accident 20210117000689A: Cessna 177RG, Richmond Hill, GA, January 17, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 17, 2021, 12:02 local time - Place: Richmond Hill, GA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.9383° N, 81.3034° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9383&lon=-81.3034&mi=10 - Aircraft: N919DC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N919DC) (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: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B6D - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA105) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210117000689A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON JANUARY 17, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:02 PM LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA CARDINAL RG 177RG (C77R), REGISTRATION NUMBER N919DC, EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND WAS HEARD MAKING MAYDAY CALL ON GUARD FREQUENCY. ATC QUICKLY DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT POSITION. AIRCRAFT DROPPED FROM RADAR COVERAGE APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES SE OF SAV, AND ELT BEGAN TO TRANSMIT. BRYAN COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE CONDUCTED A SEARCH, RESCUE OPERATION AND LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE PIC. THE PIC HAD MINOR INJURIES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^OPERATED UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. N919DC DEPARTED PAGE FIELD, FORT MEYERS, FL (FMY) AT APPROXIMATELY 09:23 AM LOCAL TIME FOR SALUDA, VIRGINIA. PIC STATED WHILE CRUISING AT 5500 FEET AT 1200 HOURS, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED. PIC INFORMED ATC, WAS ABLE TO GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED ONLY TO HAVE IT QUIT AGAIN. AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN IN AN OPEN FIELD AND THE LEFT ELEVATOR MADE CONTACT WITH SOME WOOD DEBRIS, BENDING IT BACK 45 DEGREES FROM THE FUSELAGE AND ONE SECTION LIBERATING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 120 FEET (GEAR UP) BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PROPELLER HAD ONE BLADE BENT BACK 80 DEGREES, AND THE OTHER BLADE WAS NOT DAMAGED. A REVIEW OF PARTIAL COPIES OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON 10/28/2020 AT A TACH TIME OF 2249.2. THE MOST RECENT ENGINE FIELD OVERHAUL WAS COMPLETED ON 08/30/2016. THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED ON THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT ON 09/20/2016 AT A TACH TIME OF 1992.2. THE ENGINE HAS ACCUMULATED 252.8 HOURS OF OPERATING TIME IN SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED. THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT WAS ROTATED BY TURNING THE PROPELLER, AND CONTINUITY OF THE CRANKSHAFT TO THE REAR GEARS AND THE VALVE TRAIN CONFIRMED. NORMAL VALVE ACTION WAS OBSERVED FROM THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES OF ALL FOUR CYLINDERS. COMPRESSION AND SUCTION WERE OBSERVED FROM ALL FOUR CYLINDERS. THE MAGNETO DRIVE WAS ROTATED BY TURNING THE ENGINE PROPELLER, AND A SPARK WAS OBSERVED FROM ALL EIGHT SPARK PLUG LEADS. THE FUEL INJECTOR SERVO REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE, AND NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE SERVO THROTTLE CONTROL ARM, AND THE ARM WAS POSITIONED AT THE IDLE STOP. THE COCKPIT THROTTLE CONTROL KNOB WAS SET AFT FULLY. THE MIXTURE CONTROL CABLE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE SERVO MIXTURE CONTROL ARM, AND THE ARM WAS POSITIONED AT THE ICO (IDLE CUT OFF) STOP. THE COCKPIT MIXTURE CONTROL KNOB WAS SET AFT FULLY. THE SERVO WAS REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE AND PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED. ABOUT ONE TABLESPOON OF LIQUID (FUEL) WITH AN ODOR CONSISTENT WITH AVIATION GASOLINE DRAINED FROM THE SERVO WHEN IT WAS TILTED. THE SERVO REGULATOR SECTION BRASS PLUG WAS SECURE. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE RUBBER DIAPHRAGMS OR OTHER INTERNAL COMPONENTS. THE SERVO FUEL INLET SCREEN WAS ABSENT OF DEBRIS. FUEL LEVEL WAS VERIFIED ON-SITE, THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL TO THE TOP, AND THE LEFT TANK SEEMED EMPTY. PIC STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOPPED OFF FUEL AT 60 GALLONS BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATED 2.7 HOURS AT APPROXIMATELY 10 GALLONS PER HOUR. FBO AT KFMY REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED 34.8 GALLONS OF AVGAS ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021, AT 10:37 AM. AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT KFMY ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2017, AT 1:53 PM FROM WALTERBORO, SC. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KFMY ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021. THE SALVAGE CREW REPORTED THAT THE LEFT-WING TANK AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS DRY, AND THE RIGHT-WING TANK HAD A FULL TANK. THE SALVAGE CREW DRAINED THE RIGHT TANK.THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS IN BOTH POSITIONS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS VISUALLY INSPECTED, AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND. INSPECTED LEFT FUEL RESERVOIR TANK AND FOUND IT BONE DRY, AND THE RIGHT FUEL RESERVOIR TANK WAS FULL. THE FUEL RESERVOIR DRAIN LEVER WAS IN THE CLOSED POSITION. ## 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 ERA21LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA105), Jan 17, 2021: Cessna 177RG (N919DC), Richmond Hill, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation. ## Other reports on N919DC (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20241026018759I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241026018759I), Oct 26, 2024: Cessna 177RG (N919DC), Fort Myers, FL, Minor damage. On Saturday October 26th, pilot landed a 1976 Cessna cardinal rg gear up at fmy. Flight was a part 91 flight with PIC, [privacy data omitted], a CFI and their… - [Incident 20230802011739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230802011739I), Aug 2, 2023: Cessna 177RG (N919DC), Burlington, NC, Minor damage. On 8/2/2023 a Cessna 177RG landed gear up at the Burlington Alamance regional airport on runway 24. The plane was operated by an ATP pilot who was the sole… 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.