# NTSB ERA26LA018: Cessna 177, N159RJ, Cynthiana, KY, October 16, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 16, 2025, 17:40 UTC
- Place: Cynthiana, KY
- Coordinates: 38.378828, -84.261485 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3788&lon=-84.2615&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 30, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201875
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA018
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201875/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201875
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA018

## 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 with powerlines during final approach.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot departed on the 130 nautical mile cross country flight, with about 14 gallons of aviation fuel, or 7 gallons per side. After departure, the airplane climbed to a cruising altitude of 2,500 ft mean sea level and proceeded normally. About 50 minutes into the flight, the engine began to run rough with a simultaneous decrease in engine rpm, manifold pressure and fuel pressure. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport and attempted to troubleshoot the rough running engine by advancing the throttle, moving the mixture to full rich and activating the auxiliary fuel pump, which provided brief improvement, before fuel pressure continued to decrease. Unable to maintain level flight, the pilot attempted a forced landing in a field. During the approach, the pilot observed powerlines on short final, and the airplane’s left wing clipped a powerline resulting in a loss of control and a hard landing on rough terrain. The airplane came to rest against a fence and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that he manually dipped the fuel tanks before the flight with a calibrated fuel dipstick; however, he was unable to produce the dipstick or confirm the origin of calibration. In addition, he stated that the engine instruments indicated that he had 27 minutes of fuel remaining at the time, the engine roughness occurred. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The fuel system was intact and undamaged, the engine fuel supply lines were devoid of fuel, and the total fuel recovered from both fuel tanks was 1 quart. Based on the absence of mechanical anomalies, the lack of fuel in the fuel tanks and engine fuel supply lines, the pilot’s inability to provide or substantiate the calibration of the fuel dipstick, and his overreliance on fuel quantity instrumentation, it is likely that pilot departed with an inaccurate assessment of the available fuel, and the resulting loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N159RJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N159RJ), registered now, S/N 17702038, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177 (B)
- Registry model: [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (registry code 2073708) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17702038
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 5806
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1F6 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 22, 2025, 75.1 hours before
- Departed: 12V, Milton, WV
- Destination: FFT, Frankfort, KY
- Equipment: Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 23; injuries: minor; private, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 25, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 397.8 total, 74.6 in this make and model, 335.8 as pilot in command, 52.9 in the last 90 days, 10.3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: IOB, 22 nm away
- METAR: METAR KIOB 161735Z AUTO 10006KT 10SM CLR 18/06 A3018 RMK AO2 PWINO

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20251016017309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251016017309A), Oct 16, 2025: Cessna 177B, Cynthiana, KY, Substantial damage. 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…

## Docket (8 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201875. 7.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19544899&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Pilot%27s%20Accident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA record of conversation with pilot (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 235 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19544701&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Telecom%20with%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - pilot statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19544321&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record_Pilot%20E-mail_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memo for record_e-mail about dipstick and calibration (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20209488&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR_Fuel%20Dipstick%20E-Mail%20Summary_Redacted-Rel_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Engine and fuel system examination (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 193 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19661403&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Engine%20Examination_NTSB-Rel.pdf
- Photo array_accident site and wreckage (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 663 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19602735&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Wreckage%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- Pilot operating handbook (excerpt) (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19544524&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=C177%20POH%20Fuel%20Performance%20Excerpt-Rel.pdf
- Mor_fuel calculations (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20209093&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Fuel%20Calculations-Rel-Rel.pdf

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.

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