Cessna 177 N2307Y

Summary

On 2 July 1990 at about 01:20 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N2307Y, operated by Burreson, REX H., was involved in an accident near Lake Havasu, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 1990 at 01:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Havasu, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Havasu (LHV)

Coordinates

34.4792, -114.3203

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N2307Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Burreson, REX H.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Palm Springs

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX90FA235

3 people died.

THE PILOT'S INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, OVERWEIGHT AIRPLANE, AND THE PILOT'S ALCOHOL LEVEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND HEAD TOWARDS A PORTION OF THE LAKE WHERE THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS HAD VISITED FRIENDS EARLIER IN THE DAY. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW AND SLOW WITH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHEN THE WINGS BEGAN TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN THE WATER AFTER ABOUT 180 DEG OF ROTATION. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS ON THE PILOT WERE POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL AT A REPORTED LEVEL OF 0.08%. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT BY ABOUT 8 LBS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 4,234 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.