Cessna 177 Cardinal, N912VW: Accident occurred September 11, 2021 in Ayer, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boston, Massachusetts

https://registry.faa.gov/N912VW

Location: Ayer, Massachusetts

Accident Number: ERA21LA380

Date and Time: September 11, 2021, 15:20 Local

Registration: N912VW

Aircraft: Cessna 177 

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna

Registration: N912VW

Model/Series: 177B 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built:

Operator: 

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: 

Condition of Light:

Observation Facility, Elevation: 

Observation Time:

Distance from Accident Site:

Temperature/Dew Point:

Lowest Cloud Condition: 

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,

Lowest Ceiling: 

Visibility:

Altimeter Setting: 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Departure Point: Henniker, NH (NH86) 

Destination: Stow, MA (6B6)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 None

Latitude, Longitude: 42.56,-71.550556 

AYER, Massachusetts — A pilot is safe after making an emergency landing in Ayer on Sunday as the plane ran out of fuel, according to authorities.

Ayer police said the small-engine aircraft made the landing at about 3:30 p.m. in an open parking lot off Willow Road.

Before police released information to the public, multiple sources told NewsCenter 5 that the plane made an emergency landing due to a fuel issue.

According to those sources, the plane landed in an old train yard on Berkshire Boulevard near Willow Road. The yard is where train cars used to be unloaded.

Police say the pilot, who was the only occupant of the plane, was able to successfully guide the aircraft onto the ground but ran out of space to come to a complete stop.

Pictures from the scene show that the front wheel of the plane came to a rest on what appears to be a pile of asphalt chunks.

The pilot was uninjured and walked away from the crash, according to police.

The photos did not show any major structural damage to the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are assisting the Ayer Police Department in its investigation.

https://www.wcvb.com