Cessna 177B N19884

Summary

On 12 April 1996 at about 08:49 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N19884 was involved in an accident near Perry, Missouri, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 April 1996 at 08:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Perry, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

39.4292, -91.6596

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N19884

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mexico → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI96LA130

3 people died.

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the power transmission wires. Darkness, restricting the pilot's ability to see-and-avoid the transmission line, was a related factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with electrical power lines that were about 700 feet downstream from a dam and about 125 feet above water. The surviving passenger stated that he and the pilot had consumed some beer at his home. After consuming the beer, the passenger said they went to a local restaurant and lounge remaining there until about 0130. The passenger said he and the pilot left the restaurant with two friends that they had met at the restaurant. One of the friends bought a 12 pack of beer en route to the airport. The pilot and three passengers flew for about an hour before descending near a dam. The passenger said the pilot told him he wanted to get a closer look at the dam. Also, the passenger said that before the airplane crashed, he saw the dam above the airplane's front window, then he heard the airplane hit something and saw sparks. Toxicology tests at the FAA CAMI laboratory showed the pilot had ethanol levels of 130 mg/dl in blood, 135 mg/dl in vitreous fluid, and 179 mg/dl in urine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.