Cessna 177 N53079
25 May 1997 · Rota, Northern Mariana Islands · Minor injuries
Summary
On 25 May 1997 at about 20:20 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N53079 was involved in an accident near Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Rota, Northern Mariana Islands
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177
- Registration
- N53079
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Saipan → Guam
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX97LA193
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Probable cause
the unauthorized use of automobile gasoline which led to the loss of engine power due to fuel vapor generation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The aircraft had been airborne for 30 minutes cruising at 4,500 feet msl when it lost fuel pressure and engine power, and ditched in the ocean. The aircraft was not recovered. The pilot reported they departed with 30 plus gallons of automotive gasoline for the 130 mile trip. According to the engine manufacturer this engine was designed for a minimum of 91/96 aviation grade fuel. There are FAA Supplemental Type Certificates for the use of automobile gasoline in this engine with requirements to verify the specifications of the auto gas being used, and information about the increased tendency for carburetor icing and vapor generation with its use. The aircraft records were obtained from FAA Oklahoma City, and no record of approval for the use of automobile gasoline via FAA form 337 was found.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 177 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1997 | Cessna 177RG | Knoxville, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Cessna 177 | Lancaster, Ohio, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Dec 1997 | Cessna 177 | Thompson Falls, Montana, United States | Schauman, TOR | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 1997 | Cessna 177 | Maple Lake, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 1997 | Cessna 177B | Crump, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Sep 1997 | Cessna 177B | Oxford, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,744 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 May 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jan 1997 | Enstrom F28A | Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 May 1995 | Stol UC-1 | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 26 Nov 1991 | Cessna 172M | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | Pacific Island Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 20 Mar 1989 | Hughes 269C | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Aug 2006 | Piper PA-32-300 | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | - | Serious injuries | - |