# Accident 20250501005159A: Cessna 177RG, Grass Valley, CA, May 1, 2025 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 1, 2025, 08:15 local time - Place: Grass Valley, CA - Airport: Nevada County - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.2233° N, 121.0361° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2233&lon=-121.0361&mi=10 - Aircraft: N52156, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N52156) (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 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25FA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA146) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250501005159A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 05/1/2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 08:05 LOCAL TIME, ADS-B TRACK INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTING AUBURN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KAUN) HEADING NORTHEAST TO NEVADA COUNTY AIRPARK (KGOO). AT APPROXIMATELY 08:17 LOCAL TIME THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT MAKES AN INITIAL RADIO CALL ON KGOO CTAF/UNICOM FREQUENCY TO ANNOUNCE THAT "I AM 4 MILES TO THE SOUTH AT PATTERN ALTITUDE FOR A FORTY-FIVE ENTRY TO 25". APPROXIMATELY 50 SECONDS LATER HE ANNOUNCES, " I'LL BE CROSSING MID FIELD FOR LEFT DOWNWIND AT 07". APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS LATER HE ANNOUNCES, " I'M A HALF MILE TO THE SOUTH OF THE CROSS AT MID FIELD FOR A LEFT ENTRY DOWNWIND 07, I SEE DEPARTING AIRCRAFT LINED UP." APPROXIMATELY 52 SECONDS LATER HE ANNOUNCES, "TURNING LEFT DOWNWIND 07." APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER HE ANNOUNCES, "TURNING LEFT BASE 07." APPROXIMATELY 25 SECONDS LATER HE ANNOUNCES HIS FINAL RADIO CALL, "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, I HAVE LOST ENGINE." ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE RADIO CALLS AND THE MANEUVERING OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM ADS-B DATA APPEAR TO BE CONSISTENT. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ADS-B DATA REVEALS THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE PATTERN AT 4,200 FEET MSL AND DESCENDED TO 4,125 FT MSL AT THE MID FIELD CROSSING. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND ON THE LEFT TURN TO DOWNWIND TO AN ALTITUDE OF 4,075 FT MSL UNTIL IT REACHED THE VICINITY ABOVE FOREST KNOLLS ESTATES WHERE IT BEGAN AN ACCELERATED DECENT TO APPROXIMATELY 3,575 MSL AT THE BASE LEG TURN WHICH WAS OVER THE VICINITY OF BUBBLING WELLS ROAD. FROM THERE THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ITS DECENT ON BASE LEG TO 3,175 FT MSL OVER THE VICINITY OF LOMA RICA RANCH HOUSING DEVELOPMENT; THERE AN EYE-WITNESS WHO WORKS NEARBY STATED THAT HE NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WAS A LOT LOWER THAN OTHER AIRCRAFT HE NORMALLY SEES IN THAT AREA AND AT ABOUT THAT TIME THE ENGINE HAD QUIT RUNNING. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT SHORTLY AFTER THAT, HE HAD SEEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGIN HEADING AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT ON A PATH TOWARDS WHISPERING PINES LANE WHERE HE STRUCK SOME PINE TREES THAT TORE THE LEFT AND RIGHT STABILATORS OFF OF THE TAIL. WHEN ASKED IF HE NOTICED THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN, HE REPLIED, NO IT WAS NOT. HE CONTINUED TO SAY THAT THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF WHISPERING PINES LANE NOSE FIRST AND THEN FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK. AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND LYING ON ITS BACK NEAR A LIGHT POST ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WHISPERING PINES LANE. THE AIRCRAFT CABIN ROOF WAS CRUSHED TO THE APPROXIMATE HEIGHT OF THE ENGINE FIREWALL. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS RIPPED AWAY FROM THE COCKPIT ALL THE WAY TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONTROLS HAD CURLED OVER TO THE PILOT'S SIDE AND WAS LYING ON TOP OF THE LEFT WING; THEY REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE WRECKAGE BY WIRING AND TWISTED METAL. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER HAD BROKEN FREE OF THE MOUNT AND WAS LYING NEAR THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE WING. THE LEFT WING REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT BUT SUFFERED SEVERE IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE AND CURLED UNDER ITSELF. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A FIRE HYDRANT AND WAS PARTIALLY TORN OFF PRESUMABLY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK. THE EMPENNAGE WAS BENT UPWARD AND TORN OPEN AT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WELLS. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WERE CRUSHED FROM IMPACT FROM THE GROUND. THE LEFT AND RIGHT STABILATORS WERE FOUND APPROXIMATLEY 15O FT AWAY FROM WHERE THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CRASH. THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS APPEARED TO BE IN THE UP POSITION. INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER DID NOT EXIBIT ANY DAMAGE THAT COINCIDES WITH A PROPELLER STRIKE WITH THE ENGINE NOT TURNING AND THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE APPEARED TO BE IN THE BOTH POSITION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A POST ACCIDENT FIRE. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE ANOTHER INSPECTOR AND MY SELF REMARKED HOW THERE WAS NO FUEL SMELL OR TRACES OF FUEL ON THE WRECKAGE OR GROUND. LATER THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR REPORTED THAT THEY RECOVERED 6 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK AND ABOUT A CUP OF FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK. ## 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 WPR25FA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA146), May 1, 2025: Cessna 177RG (N52156), Grass Valley, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: An improperly tightened B-nut fitting at the fuel flow divider, which resulted in a fuel leak and loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and the inadequate maintenance inspection, which failed… ## Other reports on N52156 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20080423836799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080423836799I), Apr 23, 2008: Cessna 177 (N52156), San Diego/El C, CA, Minor damage. (-23)Aircraft departed see. When landing gear were retracted, a loud bang was observed. Crew circled and attempted to lower gear. Once gear was extended, an… 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.