# NTSB NYC90FA077: Cessna 177, N29578, Forty Fort, PA, March 14, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 14, 1990, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place: Forty Fort, PA
- Coordinates: 41.260032, -75.879272 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2600&lon=-75.8793&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 10, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36528
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC90FA077
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36528/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90FA077

## Probable cause

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
  - maintenance,modification - not followed, other maintenance personnel
  - fluid,fuel grade - other
  - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions
- Forced landing, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
  - maneuver - initiated, pilot in command
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

AS THE PLT & PLT RATED PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING THE ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 300 TO 600 FT AGL.  THE ACFT BEGAN TO TURN TO THE RIGHT, THEN IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED.  NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND.  AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD BEEN SERVICED WITH AUTO FUEL.  A CHECK OF THE FUEL ABOUT 24 HRS AFTER THE ACDNT REVEALED A REID VAPOR PRESSURE (RVP) OF 11.8.  ACCORDING TO THE SUPPLIER, THE AUTO FUEL CONSISTED OF 17.5% WINTER GRADE FUEL & 82.5% SUMMER GRADE FUEL. AVIATION FUEL HAS AN RVP OF 5.5 TO 7 & IS LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO VAPOR LOCK. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT LOG, THE ACFT HAD BEEN MODIFIED IAW STC SA2010CE & SE1931CE FOR USE OF AUTO FUEL, BUT AN ID CLAMP & PLACARDS WERE NOT INSTALLED, AS REQUIRED.  THE CARB FLOAT WAS MADE OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 80 & 50 DEG, RESPECTIVELY.  ACCORDING TO CARB ICING CHARTS, SERIOUS CARB ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT GLIDE POWER & VISIBLE ICING WAS POSSIBLE AT RATED POWER.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N29578](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N29578-1990-10-19), registration cancelled 1990-10-19, S/N 17700970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177
- Registry model: [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (registry code 2073704) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 177-00970
- Airframe hours: 1576
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Kenneth A. & Sara M. Millard
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 1989, 22 hours before
- Departed: WBW, FORTY FORT, PA
- Destination: N27, TOWANDA, PA
- Airport: WBW, Wyoming Valley, runway 24, 3,375 × 148 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 555 total, 433 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: AVP, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19900314007869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900314007869A), Mar 14, 1990: Cessna STC177, Wilkes-Barre, PA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Engine quit on climbout. Began turnback stalled and impacted verically. Had bad magneto. Carburetor icing possible.

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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