- Date
- June 23, 1984, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pell City, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7554VCessna 177RG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840623026499A
- Case key
- 6315
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
During the takeoff sequence, the alternate air door hinge failed, allowing the door to separate and progressively block the induction air system to the point that insufficient power was available to sustain further flight. A forced landing was effected in a cow pasture. The alternate air door is not accessible for condition inspection under routine preflight procedures (cowling removal required).
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7554V
- Reported as
- Cessna 177RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 177RG0850
- Airframe hours
- 691
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ruth A. Morgan
- Registered owner
- Earl S. Morgan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 1984 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- PLR · Pell City, AL
- Destination
- PLR · Pell City, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,211 total · 5 in this make and model · 935 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.