Cessna 177RG accident near So. Lake Tahoe, CA
On August 12, 1994, a Cessna 177RG (airplane) was involved in an accident near So. Lake Tahoe, CA. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 12, 1994
- Place
- So. Lake Tahoe, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.841°N, 120.010°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X02065
NTSB summary
History of the Flight On August 11, 1994, at 1802 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177RG, N217AF, collided with trees about 1/2 miles south of the departure end of runway 18 after takeoff from the South Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe, California. The airplane was operated by the Armed Forces Aero Club, San Diego, California, as a rental airplane. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post impact fire. The certificated private pilot and three passengers received fatal injuries. The flight was destined for Pine Mountain Lake Airport, Groveland, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane had departed the Pine Mountain Lake Airport earlier in the day arriving at South Lake Tahoe about 1545 hours. The airplane was serviced before departing the Pine Mountain Lake Airport with 35.3 gallons of 100LL octane aviation fuel. According to the servicing attendant, this brought the airplane's fuel quantity to a level about 1/2-inch below the top of the filler neck in the airplane's wings. A line service attendant at the South Lake Tahoe Airport guided the Cessna 177RG to parking and talked to the pilot. The line service attendant told the pilot if he decided to take on fuel he should consider the density altitude because of the hot day. The pilot indicated to the attendant he was aware of the density altitude, and that after the takeoff on runway 18 he would make a left downwind departure. The attendant then informed the pilot that airplanes of that size and four persons onboard normally turn right and climb out over the golf course. The pilo
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to take off from a high density altitude airport at an over allowable gross weight condition. Factors in the accident were the high density altitude, down drafts, and the pilot's lack of familiarity operting from high density altitude airports.
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Browse: California · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
