# Accident 20210911014079A: Cessna 177, Ayer, MA, September 11, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 11, 2021, 15:30 local time
- Place: Ayer, MA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.5600° N, 71.5506° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5600&lon=-71.5506&mi=10
- Aircraft: N912VW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N912VW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177 (registry code 2073704, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 624 total, 90 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA380](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA380) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210911014079A

## Narrative

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

ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2021, N912VW, A CESSNA 177, DEPARTED HENNIKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE (NH86) FOR A FINAL DESTINATION OF CRANLAND AIRPORT (28M) WITH A PLANNED STOP AT MINUTE MAN AIR FIELD (6B6). THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS WERE VFR. BASED ON THE PILOT?S STATEMENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO FUEL IN THE LEFT WING TANK AND 9 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT WING TANK WHICH HE DETERMINED BY USING HIS CESSNA 172 FUEL HAWK. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AT APPROXIMATELY 2,800 FEET EN ROUTE TO MINUTE MAN AIR FIELD. THE PILOT STATED HE APPLIED CARB HEAT BUT DID NOT SWITCH TANKS AS THE TANK ON THE LEFT WAS EMPTY PRIOR TO HIM DEPARTING HENNIKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. HE ALSO NOTED HE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AS HE HAD BEEN SWITCHED OFF THE BOSTON FREQUENCY ON WHICH HE WAS RECEIVING ADVISORIES. HE MAINTAINED HIS ATC ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODE OF ?5151.? THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WESTBOUND IN THE LOT AND CAME TO REST AT THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT. THE LOT IS A DEFUNCT RAILROAD SHIPPING YARD WHICH IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 5 ½ NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF MINUTE MAN AIR FIELD. THE LOT ASPHALT IS IN POOR CONDITION WITH NUMEROUS AREAS OF BROKEN ASPHALT, LARGE POTHOLES, AND MUD PUDDLES. JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING, NOSE WHEEL IMPACTED A 4-5 FOOT HIGH DEBRIS PILE OF BROKEN ASPHALT AND THE MAIN WHEELS REMAINED ON THE FLAT SURFACE OF THE ASPHALT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AT AN APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREE NOSE HIGH ANGLE WHICH CAUSED THE TAIL SKID TO REST ON THE ASPHALT. TIRE MARKS WERE VISIBLE EXTENDING APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET FROM WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.  SKID MARKS BEGAN AT ROUGHLY 200 FEET. UPON INSPECTION AT THE SCENE, THERE WAS NO VISUAL EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN EITHER TANK. NO FUEL CAME OUT WHEN SUMPING THE GASCOLATOR AND LEFT WING TANK. WHEN SUMPING THE RIGHT WING TANK, A FEW DROPS CAME OUT. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER OR NOSE WHEEL FAIRING. THE NOSE WHEEL EXHIBITED GOUGING ON THE LOWER SIDE OF THE LANDING GEAR FORK. THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID SEEPAGE ON BOTH THE LEFT HAND AND RIGHT HAND BRAKES. THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL IS UNKNOWN. DUE TO THE UNKNOWN EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE NOSE WHEEL LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY, THE FIREWALL AND THE TAIL, A CONDITION NOTICE WAS LEFT IN THE AIRCRAFT ON SEPTEMBER 13TH.

## 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 ERA21LA380](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA380), Sep 11, 2021: Cessna 177 (N912VW), Ayer, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’ improper preflight and inflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

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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