Cessna 177B N34994

Summary

On 5 November 1996 at about 03:04 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N34994 was involved in an accident near Chancellor, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 November 1996 at 03:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Chancellor, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

43.3703, -96.9805

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N34994

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Scottsbluff → Sioux Falls

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI97FA024

1 person died.

the pilot's attempted flight with known deficiencies in equipment, his initiating VFR flight into IMC conditions, his spatial disorientation and loss of control of the airplane. Factors were fog, dark night, and inoperative directional gyro.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot was operating the airplane with an inoperative directional gyro. The flight arrived and requested a landing at a controlled airport at night, in instrument meteorological conditions. The air traffic controller suggested headings to an uncontrolled airport; however, the pilot was unable to navigate to that location. The airplane departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain. Subsequent investigation failed to reveal any additional pre-existing anomalies in the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.