What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft practicing touch and go landings, ran off runway. On landing struck a tree. (.4) the pilot had completed two touch and go landings successfully to runway 14. During a third touch and go landing, the airplane touched down on the left side of the runway. The pilot stated that he attempted to perform a go-around; however, a cross wind caught the airplane and pushed it to the left side of the runway. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with trees and a fence. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or the engine. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 9 knots. (-23) on August 12, 1997, at approximately 0950 EDT a Cessna 177 cardinal crashed into a tree and fence near the base of the control tower at the Louisville Bowman airport, Louisville, KY. The commercial pilot was practicing "touch and go" landings on runway 14 when the aircraft veered off to the left of the runway, crossed runway 6-24, a taxiway and ramp area before coming to a rest. The commercial pilot received serious injuries and the aircraf t was practically consumed by post-crash fire. Weather at the time was VFR. Pilot did not receive weather briefing before flight. Witnesses at the scene indicated that pilot appeared to lose control of aircraft and stated this to the person who pulled him from wreckage.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, RAN OFF RUNWAY. ON LANDING STRUCK A TREE. (.4) THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED TWO TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS SUCCESSFULLY TO RUNWAY 14. DURING A THIRD TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND; HOWEVER, A CROSS WIND CAUGHT THE AIRPLANE AND PUSHED IT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND A FENCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE OR THE ENGINE. THE REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM 200 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. (-23) ON AUGUST 12, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 0950 EDT A CESSNA 177 CARDINAL CRASHED INTO A TREE AND FENCE NEAR THE BASE OF THE CONTROL TOWER AT THE LOUISVILLE BOWMAN AIRPORT, LOUISVILLE, KY. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS PRACTICING "TOUCH AND GO" LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 14 WHEN THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, CROSSED RUNWAY 6-24, A TAXIWAY AND RAMP AREA BEFORE COMING TO A REST. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAF T WAS PRACTICALLY CONSUMED BY POST-CRASH FIRE. WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS VFR. PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE FLIGHT. WITNESSES AT THE SCENE INDICATED THAT PILOT APPEARED TO LOSE CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT AND STATED THIS TO THE PERSON WHO PULLED HIM FROM WRECKAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.