# Accident 20251016017309A: Cessna 177B, Cynthiana, KY, October 16, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 16, 2025, 13:40 local time
- Place: Cynthiana, KY
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.3788° N, 84.2615° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3788&lon=-84.2615&mi=10
- Aircraft: N159RJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N159RJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177B (registry code 2073708, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 397 total, 74 in this make and model, 52 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA018) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251016017309A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD REQUIRE 1 HOUR AND 4 MINUTES OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTES OF FUEL ON BOARD. 50 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT OBSERVED THE FUEL PRESSURE WAS DROPPING AND ELECTED TO LAND AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. AS HE CHANGED DIRECTION TOWARD THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT, THE FUEL PRESSURE CONTINUED TO DROP. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A FARM FIELD AS HE WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. HE DID NOT SEE THE UTILITY WIRES BY THE SOLAR FARM UNTIL HE WAS WITHIN 50 FEET OR LESS OF THEM DUE TO HIS VISUAL PERSPECTIVE AND CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WING CAUGHT THE UTILITY WIRES AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE TERRAIN. THERE WERE BROKEN UTILITY WIRES, GROUND SCARRING, AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO EVIDENCE OF AIRCRAFT FUEL WAS PRESENT AT THE CRASH SITE. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AS DEFINED IN 49 CFR 830.2.

## 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 ERA26LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA018), Oct 16, 2025: Cessna 177 (N159RJ), Cynthiana, KY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the impact…

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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