19990317002449A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 177 · Chico, CA · March 17, 1999

Date
March 17, 1999 · 10:30 local
Place
Chico, CA
Airport
Ranchaero Airport
Phase of flight
Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3406T
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX99LA121
Reported as
Cessna 177
Reported engine
Lycoming O320E2D
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
365 total2 in this make and model34 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The CFI indicated that during the flight he was to provide the owner-pilot any needed instruction while the pilot practiced landings. Also, the CFI planned to further familiarize himself with the pilot's airplane. The owner-pilot performed the first landing, the CFI performed the second landing, and the owner-pilot performed the third approach and attempted landing. The CFI reported that the pilot's final approach was flown a little faster than normal. The touchdown occurred nose wheel first, and during rollout the airplane began porpoising. After the third or fourth oscillation, the CFI took the controls and applied full engine power to stabilize the airplane and to take off. According to the CFI, he maintained control of the airplane as it became airborne, and he partially retracted the wing flaps. The airplane climbed, impacted several trees, and came to rest within 1/4-mile south of the airport. Neither pilot asserted that any mechanical malfunction occurred with the airplane during the accident flight. Ranchaero's runway 15 is 2,280 feet long, and its landing threshold is displaced by 200 feet. Trees are located near both the approach and departure ends of the run way. Touch-and-go landings are prohibited. (-23)owner and instructor were practicing takeoff and landings when an attempted go around from an aborted landing resulted in the aircraft not maintaining flying speed and colliding into a tree. The runway is surrounded on all sides by an almond orchard.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE CFI INDICATED THAT DURING THE FLIGHT HE WAS TO PROVIDE THE OWNER-PILOT ANY NEEDED INSTRUCTION WHILE THE PILOT PRACTICED LANDINGS. ALSO, THE CFI PLANNED TO FURTHER FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH THE PILOT'S AIRPLANE. THE OWNER-PILOT PERFORMED THE FIRST LANDING, THE CFI PERFORMED THE SECOND LANDING, AND THE OWNER-PILOT PERFORMED THE THIRD APPROACH AND ATTEMPTED LANDING. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THE PILOT'S FINAL APPROACH WAS FLOWN A LITTLE FASTER THAN NORMAL. THE TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED NOSE WHEEL FIRST, AND DURING ROLLOUT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN PORPOISING. AFTER THE THIRD OR FOURTH OSCILLATION, THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER TO STABILIZE THE AIRPLANE AND TO TAKE OFF. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, HE MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT BECAME AIRBORNE, AND HE PARTIALLY RETRACTED THE WING FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED, IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES, AND CAME TO REST WITHIN 1/4-MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. NEITHER PILOT ASSERTED THAT ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITH THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. RANCHAERO'S RUNWAY 15 IS 2,280 FEET LONG, AND ITS LANDING THRESHOLD IS DISPLACED BY 200 FEET. TREES ARE LOCATED NEAR BOTH THE APPROACH AND DEPARTURE ENDS OF THE RUN WAY. TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ARE PROHIBITED. (-23)OWNER AND INSTRUCTOR WERE PRACTICING TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS WHEN AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND FROM AN ABORTED LANDING RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT NOT MAINTAINING FLYING SPEED AND COLLIDING INTO A TREE. THE RUNWAY IS SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES BY AN ALMOND ORCHARD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.