N52881 - 1977 Cessna 177RG Aircraft Registration

C77R

1977 CESSNA 177RG

Aircraft Description

N52881 is a 1977 Cessna 177RG, a single-engine reciprocating (piston) aircraft registered to Cardinal Air in Gold Hill, NC. This aircraft holds a standard airworthiness certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on January 5, 1978. The registration certificate was issued on August 26, 2014. The registration is set to expire on August 31, 2027. Powered by a Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D engine producing 200 horsepower, N52881 is. The aircraft's Mode S transponder code is A6AA30 (hex), used for ADS-B identification and flight tracking. N52881 was last tracked by AviatorDB at coordinates 35.5213, -80.3184 on March 18, 2026. The FAA registry record for N52881 was last updated on March 10, 2023. AviatorDB monitors aircraft positions through ADS-B surveillance data and updates records as new position data is received.

The Cessna 177 Cardinal was an ambitious four-seat general aviation aircraft designed to replace the popular Cessna 172 Skyhawk with modern features including a cantilever wing and all-flying stabilator. First flown in 1967 and introduced in 1968, it was a high-wing single-engine monoplane that seated four occupants with improved visibility and comfort over its predecessor. Spanning over 35 feet with sleek aerodynamic lines, the Cardinal suffered from initial underpowering that hampered its commercial success. Manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Company from 1968 to 1978, approximately 4,295 units were produced across all variants. AviatorDB tracks 80,556 Cessna aircraft currently registered in the FAA database. The ICAO type designator for this aircraft model is C177.

AviatorDB has found no NTSB accident or incident reports involving N52881. AviatorDB cross-references all FAA registration data with NTSB accident and incident reports, providing a comprehensive safety overview for every registered aircraft in the United States.

Model Year
1977
Manufacturer
CESSNA
Model
177RG
Type Aircraft
Fixed Wing Single Engine
ICAO Type Code
C77R177RG Cardinal RG
Cruise Speed
120 mph
Weight Class
Up to 12,500 lbs
Airworthiness Date
January 5, 1978
Classification
Standard Normal Category
Type Registration
Corporation
Status
Valid Registration
Cert Issue Date
August 26, 2014

Registered Owner

Name
CARDINAL AIR
Address
190 AVIATION LN
City
GOLD HILL
State / Zip Code
North Carolina28071-8700
Country
United States

Powerplant & Avionics

Engine Type
Reciprocating
Number of Engines
1
Engine Manufacturer
LYCOMING
Engine Model
IO-360-A1B6D
Horsepower
200 HP
Mode S Code (Oct)
51525060
Mode S Code (Hex)
A6AA30

NTSB Accident History (1)

Additional Details

Registration
N52881
Serial Number
177RG1298
Number of Engines
1
Number of Seats
4
Expiration Date
August 31, 2027
Last Action Date
March 10, 2023
Last Update Date
January 19, 2026
Unique ID
00132605

Last Known Position

Date
May 15, 2026 (UTC 15:23:52)
Airport
Latitude
35.50708
Longitude
-80.287399

Data Source

Data provided by the US Federal Aviation Administration. View on FAA.gov

Last updated: 2026-05-15 01:32:20 UTC