- Date
- February 19, 1995, 19:15 local (Feb 20, 1995, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Terlingua, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N34958Cessna 177B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950219002169A
- Case key
- 19355
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors were his decision to land on the unlit runway and the dusk light conditions.
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.
Analysis
Although the unlighted runway was visible to the pilot on final approach, after touching down, he 'lost the centerline.' The airplane exited the right side of the runway, impacted brush, and continued to travel forward until it came to rest in a ravine. The pilot reported that 'it was getting dark' as they approached the airport.
Factual narrative
On February 19, 1995, at 1915 central standard time, a Cessna 177B, N34958, was substantially damaged during landing near Terlingua, Texas. The commercial pilot and private pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Civil Air Patrol public use flight from Presidio, Texas.
The pilot, who was occupying the right seat, reported that "it was getting dark" as he approached the unlighted Terlingua Ranch Airport. Both the pilot and his passenger stated that the runway was visible on final approach. The pilot reported that he "lost the centerline drifting to the right" during the landing to runway 20. The airplane exited the right side of the runway, impacted brush, and continued to travel forward until it encountered a ravine where it came to rest.
The operator reported that the right main gear and nose gear separated from the airplane. The fuselage was buckled aft of the baggage compartment and the right wing spar was damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34958
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17702115
- Airframe hours
- 4,043
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-AIF6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Civil Air Patrol, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 18, 1994 · 96 hours before
- Departed
- TX07 · Presidio, TX
- Destination
- 1E2
- Airport
- 1E2 · Terlingua Ranch, runway 20, 4,695 × 90 ft, gravel
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
- 26
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 352 total · 10 in this make and model · 297 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 90° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.