- Date
- April 11, 1996, 08:24 local (14:24 UTC)
- Place
- Cheyenne, WY
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N35207Cessna 177B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1997
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19960411006839A
- Case key
- 42472
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
the pilot-in-command's improper decision to take off into deteriorating weather conditions (including turbulence, gusty winds, and an advancing thunderstorm and associated precipitation) when the airplane was overweight and when the density altitude was higher than he was accustomed to, resulting in a stall caused by failure to maintain airspeed. Contributing to the pilot-in-command's decision to take off was a desire to adhere to an overly ambitious itinerary, in part, because of media commitments.
Analysis
A 7 year old trainee (passenger), accompanied by her father (a passenger) and the pilot-in-command (PIC), were engaged in a trans-continental record attempt involving 6,660 miles of flying in 8 consecutive days. The 1st leg of the trip (about 8 hours of flying) had been accomplished the previous day and began/ended with considerable media attention. On the morning of the 2nd day, the PIC and the trainee participated in media interviews, pre-flighted, and then loaded the airplane. The PIC then received a weather briefing and was advised of moderate icing conditions, turbulence, IFR flight precautions, and a cold front in the area of the departure airport. The airplane was taxied in rain to takeoff on runway 30. While taxiing, the PIC acknowledged receiving information that the wind was from 280 degrees at 20 gusting 30 knots and that a departing Cessna 414 pilot reported moderate low-level windshear of +/- 15 knots. The airplane then departed on runway 30 towards a nearby thunderstorm and began a gradual turn to an easterly heading. Witnesses described the airplane's climb rate and speed as slow, and they observed the airplane enter a roll and descent that was consistent with a stall. Density altitude at the airport was 6,670 feet. The airplane's gross weight was calculated to be 84 pounds over the maximum limit at the time of the impact. (See: NTSB/AAR-97/02 for detailed info)
Factual narrative
Refer to NTSB Report PB 97-910402.
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
- N35207
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17702266
- Airframe hours
- 3,582
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1F6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Reid, Joseph, M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 8, 1995 · 74 hours before
- Departed
- CYS
- Destination
- LNK · Lincoln
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CYS · Cheyenne, runway 30, 6,691 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 52
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,484 total · 1,362 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CYS, 1 nm away
Docket · 36
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 11, 1997, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 35.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.