Tucson Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85706
Monday, September 25, 1989 20:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH, ABOUT 4-5 MI FROM THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. NO PRE-IMPACT RELATED MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE, AND THE ENGINE RAN SUCCESSFULLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT LATER STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD CONTINUED TO OPERATE THROUGHOUT THE APPROACH AND LANDING. THE PILOT HAD 5 HRS IN MAKE/MODEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT'S POWERPLANT CONTROLS. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN A CESSNA 177RG.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85706
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TUCSON INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TUS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1955 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1851
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40943
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52665
NTSB Number LAX89LA323
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 177RG
Aircraft Serial Number 1238
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RUSSELL WISLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11800 W AVRA VALLEY RD
Aircraft Owner City MARANA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85653
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PHX
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1937
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --